The Impact of Openness on Adoption Agency Practices

Henney, Susan M.; Mssw, Ruth G. McRoy; MEd, Susan Ayers-Lopez; Grotevant, Harold D.

doi:10.1300/j145v06n03_03

Cited by 25 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Regardless of family type, we found a high level of contact between families adopting domestically from private agencies or independent facilitators and their children's birth families, not only prior to or at the time of placement, but following placement, and in their current lives. Although this finding is consistent with prior work (Henney, McRoy, Ayers-Lopez, & Grotevant, 2003;Vandivere et al, 2009), our data suggest a higher rate of contact (84.8% following placement; 74.5% currently) than was reported in the National Survey of Adoptive Parents (68%; Vandivere et al, 2009). This difference could reflect a growing trend in openness associated with private agency and independent adoptions over the 6-7 year period that separates the studies.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Contact with birth family in adoptive families headed by lesbian, gay male, and heterosexual parents

Brodzinsky¹,

Goldberg

2016

Children and Youth Services Review

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Contact with birth family in adoptive families headed by lesbian, gay male, and heterosexual parents

Brodzinsky¹,

Goldberg

2016

Children and Youth Services Review

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“…Birth parents, adoptees, and adoptive families have all infl uenced the social and legal aspects of adoption and contributed to more open and respectful practices which honour all members of the adoption triad (Henney, Onken, McRoy, & Grotevant, 1998;Henney, McRoy, Ayers-Lopez, & Grotevant, 2003;Gritter, 1997). Nonetheless, it has been well documented that a woman who places a child for adoption experiences profound grief and loss (Condon, 1986;DeSimone, 1996;Deykin, Campbell & Patti 1984;Logan, 1996;Rynearson, 1982;Smith, 2006;Wiley & Baden 2005;Winkler & Van Keppel, 1984).…”

Section: Domestic Adoption Has Declined Signifi Cantly As Women Havementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This challenged the notion that adoption could terminate all connections between adopted persons and their birth families (Appell, 2000). These changes shifted the balance of power in adoption as birth mothers gained leverage to assert their wishes for the adoption, participate in family selection, and negotiate ongoing contact (Henney et al, 2003).…”

Section: The Changing Nature Of Adoptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Grief & Loss Resolution among Birth Mothers in Open Adoption

Krahn¹,

Sullivan²

2015

cswr

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While research has explored birth parent grief and loss, it has not been thorough in exploring how the experience of having an open adoption affects birth parents’ grief and loss experience and resolution. Previous research has highlighted positive effects of open adoptions to date, but is quite limited in regards to the birth parents’ adjustment in current day, open adoptions. This descriptive, qualitative study explores birth parents’ experiences in current day, open adoptions and seeks to understand their experience of grief and loss and their movement towards grief resolution in the context of an open adoption. Findings of this study confirm that the experience of adoption placement involves grief and loss and that openness in adoption helps to mitigate this painful experience. Most notably, birth parents found meaning, comfort, and peace in knowing of their child’s well-being and by having ongoing involvement in the life of the child and adoptive family. This opens new avenues in thinking about adoption and the meanings participants make of it.Même si la recherche s’est penchée sur le deuil et la peine des parents biologiques, elle n’a pas approfondi l’effet d’une adoption ouverte sur leur douleur et leurs façons de composer avec celle-ci. Des recherches ont montré les effets positifs de l’adoption ouverte, mais elles ont peu abordé l’adaptation dont doivent faire preuve les parents biologiques ayant choisi l’adoption ouverte de nos jours. La présente étude descriptive et qualitative explore l’expérience vécue par les parents biologiques et cherche à comprendre leur deuil et leur peine ainsi que leurs façons de les surmonter. Les résultats montrent que la décision de confier un enfant à l’adoption s’accompagne d’un deuil et d’une peine, et qu’une ouverture permet d’atténuer la douleur d’une telle action. En particulier, les parents biologiques ont trouvé un réconfort à être au courant du bien-être de leur enfant et à garder contact avec celui-ci et sa famille adoptive. Cette étude ouvre de nouvelles perspectives au sujet de l’adoption et du sens que les participants lui donnent

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“…I ost adoption agencies today offer a child's birth parents and adoptive families the opportunity to I participate in some kind of contact and exchange of identifying information with each other (Siegel & Smith, in press;Sotiropoulos, 2008;Henney, McRoy, Ayers-Lopez, & Grotevant, 2003). These open adoptions vary with regard to how much information is exchanged, and the nature and frequency of contact (Grotevant, Perry, & McRoy, 2005).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Growing up in Open Adoption: Young Adults' Perspectives

Siegel

2012

Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Service

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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.

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The Impact of Openness on Adoption Agency Practices

Cited by 25 publications

References 16 publications

Contact with birth family in adoptive families headed by lesbian, gay male, and heterosexual parents

Contact with birth family in adoptive families headed by lesbian, gay male, and heterosexual parents

Grief & Loss Resolution among Birth Mothers in Open Adoption

Growing up in Open Adoption: Young Adults' Perspectives

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