International Adoption
Adoption, whether national or international, is a legal process in which the rights of the biological parent are terminated. The adoptive parent is then given the rights and responsibilities of a legal parent and the adoptee is also given all the rights and responsibilities of his new family, including social and emotional rights. Individuals going abroad also have to adhere to international laws. Traditionally, individuals seeking to participate in international adoptions seemed to navigate towards a closed process where there sometimes was little or no contact between the biological and adoptive families before, during, and especially after placement or adoption of the child. Individuals seemed to prefer the secrecy/confidentiality of a closed international adoption vs. An open process. However as time went on, biological and adoptive parents began to realize that the tide was changing and that closed adoptions were less beneficial than initially presumed. Changes in the social climate, lifestyle and in the adoption population necessitated the exploration of open international adoptions.
While some research tracking the effects of an open international adoption is still in its nascent phase, there is evidence from completed research indicating the "substantial benefits" of open international adoption on children, biological mothers/families and adoptive vs. closed international adoptions (Weeks 6). Though some risks may be associated with, and degrees of openness vary in, international adoptions, there is increasing evidence that an open process rather than a closed one is more positive and beneficial process to all stakeholders involved.
For the past three decades, societal changes including, but not limited to, career choices over starting a family, health issues that could derail pregnancy and norms such as "birth control and abortion practices" (Berry 125) have impacted changes in the international adoption population as well as "the number of health infants available for international adoption" (Berry 125). Along with changes in international adoption population, shifts in the international adoption process have also been noted. According to Berry (125), "one of the most controversial shifts is the introduction of open international adoptions as a standard practice among many international adoption agencies and attorneys."
Open international adoption is defined as "the sharing of information and/or contacts between the adoptive and biological parents of an adopted child, before and/or after the placement of the child, perhaps continuing for the life of the child" (Berry 126). The above definition is in opposition to the traditionally closed or confidential international adoption practice, where the identity of the adoptive parents/family was unknown to the biological parents/family. There was no communication with the child or between the biological and adoptive families after placement. Openness can be as simple as both families sharing information before the international adoption, during the process, and after the placement of the child. Though openness in an international adoption can be beneficial in alleviating some of the cross-cultural issues that might arise as well as minimize the confusion that adopted children experience as they grow up, sharing is not for everyone and is not always possible for every child who is adopted. This may be true for orphans and children of rape or incest.
International adoption experts today recommend "matching adoptive and biological families partly on the basis of their choice of open, semi-open, or closed international adoption" (Berry 126). A decline of available healthy infants for international adoption has also empowered biological mothers/parents to have more control in the international adoption process. Long-term research on families who engage in open international adoption placements reveals several substantial benefits to openness:
Some adoptive parents report that they do not feel that the biological parents will return to claim the child.
Adoptive parents report that, because of sharing, they have information that they can use to support their adopted child as he/she grows up with no doubts that they are with their parents
Adoptive parents report that they are able to provide information about the child's past and reason(s) for placement
Biological parents report feeling good about making such a difficult decision, to let their child be adopted, when there is openness and sharing with the adoptive parents. They feel as though they are still involved with the child and are aware of what's going on.
Research further indicates...
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