Post-Adoption Contact
Post-Adoption Contact Agreements We were treated to a wonderful presentation by
Dr. Ruth McRoy who, with her partner Dr. Harold Grotevant, is responsible for highly respected research into open adoption outcomes for birth parents, adoptees, and adoptive parents (
Minnesota/Texas Adoption Research Project) in infant, same-race adoptions. She presented study findings derived from interviewing birthmothers, adoptive parents, and adopted children between the ages of 4-12, over a five-year period. The study dispels many of the myths about post-adoption contact such as confusion on the part of children, healing on the part of birthmothers, and challenges to the parenting role on the part of adoptive parents.
When it came to the issue of whether or not agreements should be legally enforceable,
Law Professor Anita Allen, an adoptive parent herself, expressed the view that they should not, that agreements should be considered a moral commitment for both adoptive and birth parents, and that both parties would recognize a moral obligation to maintain the agreement. However, Kathy Ledesma presented documentation showing that legally enforceable post-adoption contact agreements mediated for adoptions through the child welfare system have had a positive impact in Oregon.
Ms. Ledesma provided handouts showing mediation outcomes which support the claim that Oregon's position on openness, and the mediated agreement process appear to have contributed greatly to the reduction of time children are spending in the system before permanent placement, reduced time in court with termination procedures, and easing of birth family fears of lost contact. The end result has been a marked increase in the number of adoptions in the state.
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