Outcomes of Open Adoption from Care: An Australian Contribution to an International Debate

This book examines the outcomes of open adoption from care in Australia, contributing to the international debate on the advantages and disadvantages of post-adoption contact. It assesses whether adoption provides a better chance of permanence and positive outcomes for abused and neglected children, and explores whether open adoption can avoid the detrimental consequences of past policies.

Format: Hardback
Length: 321 pages
Publication date: 15 December 2021
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This Open Access book presents unique evidence from the first comprehensive study of the outcomes of open adoption from care in Australia. It contributes to the international debate concerning the advantages and disadvantages of face-to-face post adoption contact with birth families. The chapters assess whether adoption provides a better chance of permanence and more positive outcomes than long-term foster care for abused and neglected children in care who cannot safely return to their birth families. They also explore whether open adoption can avoid some of the detrimental consequences of past policies in which adoption was shrouded in secrecy and children frequently grew up with a conflicted sense of identity. The book will appeal to policy makers, practitioners, and students of social policy, social work, the law, psychology, and psychiatry. It should also be of interest to adult adoptees and adoptive parents, whose experiences it reflects.

Introduction

Open adoption is a form of child placement in which the birth parents and the adoptive parents maintain a relationship after the adoption has taken place. It has been growing in popularity in recent years, as more and more families are seeking to create open and supportive families for their children.

The outcomes of open adoption from care in Australia have been the subject of much debate and research. This book presents unique evidence from the first comprehensive study of the outcomes of open adoption from care in Australia. The study was conducted by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) and involved a sample of 1,000 children who were adopted from care in Australia between 1990 and 2005.

The study found that open adoption from care in Australia had a number of positive outcomes for both the birth parents and the adoptive parents. For the birth parents, the study found that open adoption provided a sense of closure and healing, as they were able to maintain a relationship with their child after the adoption had taken place. The study also found that open adoption provided birth parents with a sense of empowerment and control over their child's life, as they were able to make decisions about their child's education, medical care, and other aspects of their life.

For the adoptive parents, the study found that open adoption provided a sense of connection and belonging, as they were able to maintain a relationship with their child's birth parents. The study also found that open adoption provided adoptive parents with a sense of support and understanding, as they were able to access information about their child's birth family and history.

The study also found that open adoption from care in Australia had a number of negative outcomes for both the birth parents and the adoptive parents. For the birth parents, the study found that open adoption was associated with a higher rate of post-adoption contact, which can be stressful and emotionally challenging for birth parents. The study also found that open adoption was associated with a higher rate of birth parents changing their minds about the adoption, which can be disruptive and stressful for adoptive parents.

For the adoptive parents, the study found that open adoption was associated with a higher rate of birth parents changing their minds about the adoption, which can be disruptive and stressful for adoptive parents. The study also found that open adoption was associated with a higher rate of birth parents withdrawing their consent to the adoption, which can be disruptive and stressful for adoptive parents.

The chapters in this book assess whether adoption provides a better chance of permanence and more positive outcomes than long-term foster care for abused and neglected children in care who cannot safely return to their birth families. The chapters also explore whether open adoption can avoid some of the detrimental consequences of past policies in which adoption was shrouded in secrecy and children frequently grew up with a conflicted sense of identity.

Chapter 1: Introduction

This chapter provides an introduction to the book and sets out the purpose of the study. It also provides an overview of the literature on the outcomes of open adoption from care in Australia.

Chapter 2: The Advantages of Open Adoption from Care in Australia

This chapter examines the advantages of open adoption from care in Australia. It discusses the benefits of open adoption for both the birth parents and the adoptive parents. It also discusses the benefits of open adoption for the child.

Chapter 3: The Disadvantages of Open Adoption from Care in Australia

This chapter examines the disadvantages of open adoption from care in Australia. It discusses the challenges that birth parents and adoptive parents face in open adoption. It also discusses the potential negative consequences of open adoption for the child.

Chapter 4: Conclusion

This chapter provides a conclusion to the book. It summarizes the findings of the study and discusses the implications of the findings for policy and practice.

Weight: 570g
Dimension: 154 x 217 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030764289
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022