US: An Open Adoption Means ‘Extra Love And Family’ – If All Goes Well (Commentary)
Huff Post – November 16, 2022
The idea that birth (or “first”) families could remain in contact with adoptive families represents a dramatic shift from how adoptions were approached decades ago. Back then, records were sealed and children were given no information about their birth parents, much less an opportunity to make contact with them. That was “fully closed adoption ― the adoption of a generation ago,” said Nicole Witt, executive director of the Adoption Consultancy. Children and birth families suffered under this traditional, secretive arrangement. As more research explored the experiences of adoptees, adoption professionals reached the consensus that it is better for adopted children to learn about and be able to make contact with their birth families.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-does-an-open-adoption-look-like_l_63598bbbe4b04cf8f38aab87