What was inside this article:
- Post-adoption issues
- Openness, searching, and access to family history
- Managing adoption issues
What is wonderful about the CFAA, is that each Board member has been affected by adoption at some point; we have some who are adult adoptees, some who have adopted openly, some who have done closed adoptions, etc. Adoption has so many facets; it truly is a "heart issue".
At any rate, we split up into groups of 2 and studied the various components of this article. In "Post-adoption issues", it speaks about loss and grief, and identity development. Many adopted persons (regardless of their current age) experience a type of loss due to losing their birth parents. Questions swirl in the adopted person's head; who do I look like? Is my personality the same as his/hers? Because adoption is not a widespread thing, their grief and sense of loss sometimes is "lost" on others, leaving the adopted person(s) to have feelings of loss, anger, even fear... and a lot of times, they're also left with the questions of whether or not there were other siblings, or other family members "out there".
In regards to openness, searching, and access to family history the article highlights the benefits of open adoptions. Reunions with birth families may happen immediately, or over time. Thanks to the "information age" of social media etc. adoptees are more able to reach out to birth families than ever before.
With managing adoption issues, the article has points about the importance of finding a support group or counseling so that the adoptee does not feel like he/she is alone in dealing with their grief, pain, anger, etc. It also highlights the fact that sometimes the adoptee is "helped" by learning about the experiences of others who were adopted. This can help them cope, and move forward. It can also show them that they're not alone; others have walked this walk before.
For more information on this article, you can go to Child Welfare Information Gateway
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