(Samuels, 2001) According to existing sources, which are sketchy, the establishment of adoption procedures initially failed to provide elements of confidentiality however, these protections were eventually included. Adoption laws and regulations have been instituted in what may be described as a manner that is both illogical and non-uniform in nature. The historical account of the adoption process in the U.S. states that: "Early in the twentieth century, states began moving toward protecting the privacy of participants in the adoption process by closing court records to public inspection." (Samuels, 2001) During the 1930s and 1940s as well as into the earlier part of the 1950s nearly all U.S. states imposed secrecy upon the records in adoptions in order to keep the adoption parents and biological parents from knowing one another and as well to keep the adopted child from accessing information relating to their biological parents. While most states had closed birth records by the 1980s simultaneously: "...a growing advocacy movement for greater openness in adoption was encouraging many states to establish passive and active registries through which adult adoptees and birth parents could attempt to seek information about and establish contact with one another." (Samuels, 2001)
Confidentiality concerns in social policy formulation generally appear to be geared toward secrecy for adoptees and their adoptive parents however: "...virtually no discussion of a need to protect birth parents from adult adoptees seeking and acquiring information about their birth families." (Samuels, 2001) During the 1940s and 1950s the U.S. Children's Bureau "stressed...the desirability of shielding both court records and original birth records from public inspection to protect the parties from public disclosure of personal information in the court records." (Samuels, 2001) Earlier provisions for protection were focused on protecting the adopted child from public disclosure of their circumstances of birth as many of these children were born to un-wed mothers however: "In a 1949 publication, the Children's Bureau failed to mention any concern with birth parents' privacy as a reason for sealing records and specifically endorsed adult adopted access to original birth certificate." (Samuels, 2001) the Model State Vital Statistics Act was revised in 1959 and stated that: "...the original certificate and the evidence of adoption, paternity or legitimation shall not be subject to inspection except upon order of (a court of competent jurisdiction)." (Samuels, 2001) the Uniform Adoption Act was revised during 1969 with the inclusion of a provision "requiring the clerk of the court to forward information to the appropriate vital statistics office..." (Samuels, 2001) however the provision requiring the original birth certificate be sealed was omitted.
During the time period running from 1925 until 1935 it is related that: "39 states enacted new adoption laws or amended existing legislation to reflect in whole or in part the recommendations made by the Children's Bureau," (Samuels, 2001) Furthermore, during the years 1940 and 1045 "forty states...improved their adoption legislation." (Samuels, 2001) in a 1954 report of legislation relating to adoption in the state of Pennsylvania it is stated that: "[i]t is agreed that it is best for all parties if the natural parent does not know the identity of the adoptive parents."(Samuels, 2001) in a 1956 report of the Los Angeles Bar Association on law in California the view was expressed that the birthparent should have the right to know all information about the adoptive family except their real identities as it was believed to be "better for the child, better for the adopting parents, and better for the natural mother" that she not know the names, addresses and other information about the adoptive parents however, in the case where the birthparent is insistent, this article held that they should be given this information after having notified the adoptive parents that their anonymity would be terminated. During 1968 legislation was enacted that protected adoptive parents from learning the adopted child's surname. It is stated that: "...the actions of those state governments that foreclosed adult adoptee access to birth records in the thirty years after 1960 may be understood as a part of what Professor Lessig calls a 'defensive construction' of social meanings, that is, an attempt to 'preserv[e] an old meaning' when it is threatened." (Samuels, 2001) the logic of the time appears to be that "adoption was a perfect and complete substitute for the creation of families through childbirth. The new birth certificate issued after adoption substituted the adoptive parents' names for the birth parents' names, which showed the adopting parents as holding the place of the biological parents. The...
standing and intense debate as to whether human personality is determined or influenced biologically or psychologically. Those in the pro-biological (or pro-nature) side contend that a person's genes have a stronger or final say about a person's acts and destiny, while those in the psychological (or pro-nurture) side say it is the way the person is/was raised as a child and his peer interaction that determine the personality system
Adopting a special needs child also presents strong demands on time and energy that "normal" families do not usually have to deal with. According to Cloud and Townshend (2001) "As a rule, children don't know what they are doing. They have little idea how to handle life so that it works right. That's why God gave them parents - to love them, give them structure and guide them into maturity"
The research will address the following research questions, in addition to the central hypothesis. How malleable are generational boundaries? In other words, how willing are teens to adapt to new generational boundary styles? Are generational boundaries set during the early childhood years? How frequently do teens assume a parental role in dysfunctional families? What techniques could help tends and their adoptive parents reach a compromise that results in the development of healthy generational
Fifty-seven days following the birth of the child, the biological father contested the adoption. For three years, the courts battled the case and the child remained in the home of the adopted parents throughout (ABA, 6). When the child was three, the courts ruled the adoption was not legal, since the father had not relinquished his rights, and the child was returned to the biological father (ABA, 7). This
Normally, efforts must be reasonable and diligent but not futile. The general grounds for termination of parental rights in all states are as follows. Abandonment is a prime case of abandonment can be established after six months of conscious disregard of any form of parental obligations by a parent, including support, maintenance, love and care. The conduct must be intentional and normally must involve a lack of support plus
Indian Welfare Act There are few things in life as traumatic as losing a child. Unfortunately, this is a phenomenon that plagues humanity on a daily basis. Children are lost in many ways. Some die, some are kidnapped. Others are lost through adoption. For some mothers, adoption is an informed decision made on the basis of what the individual believes is right for her child. However, there is also a phenomenon
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