OPEN ADOPTION IN THE 21ST CENTURY · •Impact of social media and the internet. •Impact of...

OPEN ADOPTION IN THE 21ST CENTURY


Old Adoption Model: Cut Off

Adoptee

Birthmother Adoptive Parents


New Adoption Model: Connected

Adoptee

Open Adoption Pioneers

Annette Baran Reuben Pannor

Sharon Kaplan

Rosznia

Jim Gritter

Joyce Maguire Pavao

Randy Seversen

John Chally

Jeanne EtterPatricia Martinez Dorner

Adoption evolves over time.


What were expectant parents

like 35-40 years ago?


Meet “Nancy”

• Timid

• Full of shame

• Honored secrets

• Malleable

• Disempowered

• Easily victimized


What are expectant parents like today?


Meet “Chloe”


Chloe’s Cohort

• Ages 18-33.

• More unemployed and in debt

than the last two generations.

• Not buying cars, houses, or

getting married (69% unmarried).

• Most educated young adults in

history; 1/3 have a 4-year

college degree.


Chloe’s Cohort

• Most racially diverse

generation (43% non-

white).

• 62% socially liberal.

• Tech savvy-grown up

with technology.

• Low levels of social

trust.


Adoption is changing radically. How do we keep up?

• What happens if we

don’t change with

the times?

• Adoption will move

forward without us.

• Adoption is client-

driven.

• Expectant moms.

• Expectant dads.

• Impact of social media and

the internet.

• Impact of reality TV and

the media.

What’s changed in adoption?

Expectant Parents


• Impact of internet.

• What have we learned about open adoption?


Open vs. Closed Adoption



Adoptive Parents

Who

are

they?



States with Same Sex Adoption


• Impact of open

record laws

• What are adoptees

saying about their

experiences?


Adoptees


What do we mean whenwe say open adoption?

• Adoptive parents welcome

the birthparents into their

lives.

• These relationships often

look like extended family

relationships.

• The adoptive parents leave

the door open to the

birthparents even if they

aren’t able to reciprocate.


Why is open adoption important?

“If we carry out a system that delights adoptive parents and

works for most of the children, but in the process destroys

birthparents — where is the joy? Who can call that sort of

outcome satisfactory? When will we learn that we are all in this

together and that diminishing any one of us diminishes us all?

We are never made larger by permitting others to

be made smaller. The effort to elevate the status

of birthparents need not in any way detract from

the importance of the adoptive parents.”


— Jim Gritter

How Agencies and Attorneys Can Work Together

The road map to

successful open

adoptions.


How to Create an Effective PACA

• Create positive relationships

and strengthen the

underlying trust inherent in

every adoption.

• Define roles.


How to Create an Effective PACA

• Remove uncertainties about

timing of contact.

• PACAs are enforceable in some

states and not in others.


Potential Challenges


• Significant socio-economic and

educational differences between

birth and adoptive families.

• Substance use/abuse.

• Mental health issues and

serious health issues.

• Birthparent absence.

• Addition of new siblings or

partner.

Moving Beyond the Challenges

• Facing a challenge is not

justification for closing the

adoption.

• Lori Holden’s grid: contact vs.

openness.


Moving Beyond the Challenges

• Creating a culture of openness.

• The child needs to know the important people

in their life as they navigate their identity.


Ask the kids!

• The children of open

adoption are now teens

and young adults.

• They are the spokespeople

of how this process worked

for them.

• Let’s see what they have

to say…


http://youtu.be/gKv1n_FqyD0

http://youtu.be/gKv1n_FqyD0

Conclusion

“Open adoption is life changing and heart growing. It is ridiculously difficult, but amazingly rewarding.”

- By Carolyn A. Simetkosky posted on America Adopts


OPEN ADOPTION IN THE 21ST CENTURY · •Impact of social media and the internet. •Impact of...

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