Growing up in Open Adoption: Young Adults' Perspectives

Abstract

Most adoption agencies today allow a child's biological and adoptive families to know one another and maintain contact. This move toward openness instead of secrecy presents opportunities and challenges. The study reported here explores young adult adoptees' reactions to growing up in open adoptions. Findings reveal their preferences for self-determination, facts, and access to their birth families. They view challenges in open adoption relationships as opportunities to develop identity, expand family, and process feelings. They see each open adoption as unique, needing occasional recalibration. Findings indicate agencies should offer education and services throughout the process. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE •Agencies should help parents promote adoptees' self determination regarding access to contact with and information from their birth families.• Agencies should help adoptive and birth families recalibrate contact as needs change, rather than sever it permanently.

Contact Between Birth and Adoptive Families During the First Year Post-Placement: Perspectives of Lesbian, Gay, and Heterosexual Parents

“…Openness in adoption has become increasingly common, representing a drastic shift from the early twentieth century, when sealed birth certificates and closed adoptions were prevailing practices in the US (Grotevant, 2012; Siegel, 2012). By the 1960s, a growing number of adoptees and birth parents had disclosed stories about how secrecy surrounding adoption had been harmful in their lives, such as adoptees not having access to genealogical or genetic information (Siegel, 2012).…”

“…By the 1960s, a growing number of adoptees and birth parents had disclosed stories about how secrecy surrounding adoption had been harmful in their lives, such as adoptees not having access to genealogical or genetic information (Siegel, 2012). During the 1980s and 1990s, the practice of openness in adoption steadily increased.…”

Retos y dificultades para la implantación de la adopción abierta en España. El papel de la mediación

“…Son numerosos los estudios que señalan las ventajas de la adopción abierta (Grotevant et al, 2008;Haas, 2015;Siegel, 2012). En concreto, el estudio de Grotevant el al.…”

“…Las adopciones abiertas son experiencias complejas en las que los participantes van a necesitar apoyo adicional durante todo el proceso para ayudarles a comprenderlo y hacer frente a los cambios en las estructuras y límites de la familia, abordar sus propios sentimientos y preocupaciones y establecer medios confiables de comunicación entre sí (Logan, 2010;Maynard, 2005;Siegel, 2012).…”

“…Sin duda, la implantación de la adopción abierta entraña oportunidades y desafíos para todos sus protagonistas (Siegel, 2012). Y también para las administraciones a la hora de implantarla.…”