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What happens to the Birth Records after an Adoption is Finalized?

In nearly all US states, adoption records are sealed and withheld from public inspection after the adoption is finalized. Most states have instituted procedures by which parties to an adoption may obtain non-identifying and identifying information from an adoption record while still protecting the interests of all parties. Non-identifying information includes the date and place of the adoptee's birth; age, race, ethnicity, religion, medical history, physical description, education, occupation of the biological parents; reason for placing the child for adoption; and the existence of biological siblings.

All states allow an adoptive parents access to nonidentifying information of an adoptee who is still a minor. Nearly all states allow the adoptee, upon reaching adulthood, access to non-identifying information about their relatives. Approximately 27 states allow biological parents access to non-identifying information. In addition, many states give such access to adult siblings. Identifying information is any data that may lead to the positive identification of an adoptee, biological parents, or other relatives. Nearly all states permit the release of identifying information when the person whose information is sought has consented to the release. Many states ask biological parents to specify at the time of consent or surrender whether they are willing to have their identity disclosed to the adoptee when he or she is age 18 or 21.5. If consent is not on file, the information may not be released without a court order documenting good cause to release the information. A person seeking a court order must be able to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that there is a compelling reason for disclosure that outweighs maintaining the confidentiality of a party to an adoption.^[23] In Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, Kansas, New Hampshire, and Oregon, there is no requirement to document good cause in order to access their birth certificates.^{[24][25][26][27]} Some groups, such as Bastard Nation, One Voice,^[28] and Origins USA,^[29] campaign for adoptees' automatic access to birth certificates in other US states.

At age 18, people adopted in the United Kingdom, Australia, Europe and in several provinces in Canada are automatically entitled to their birth certificates and may access their adoption records.<sup>[24]

Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_adoption</sup>

Preparing the Sibling-In-Waiting Before Adoption Occurs

Heidi Weitzman, an adoption social worker in Children's Home Society's Minnesota Waiting Child Program, says, " Because of the nature of our work, a lot of us tend to focus on the newly adopted child. Sometimes it's good to take a step back and look at this from all points of view. The child already in the family will experience just as much change with the least amount of preparation because they're not in classes."

Weitzman has found that a child anxious to get a new sibling typically has a let down when reality replaces fantasy. The child may experience difficulty over divided parental attention, particularly if the newest sibling or siblings demonstrate behaviors that require interventions. To help children who are anticipating getting a new brother or sister through adoption, Weitzman interviews the child without the parents being present, using a "Sibling Preference Questionnaire" that helps determine how the child fantasizes about their new sibling or siblings. With the child's permission, the answers are shared with parents, and Weitzman makes herself available should the family or the child need to talk at a later date. "This common sense approach elicits the child's feelings," says Weitzman, "and provides a talking tool to discuss a list of behaviors that might be exhibited by siblings."

"Work small," suggests Weitzman, "Don't expect miracles or for sibs to click right away, and if they do, expect it to get worse. That's the reality. I don't like to be a pessimist, but I point out to families that I've worked with a lot of kids who have gone through this, and that there will be difficult times. Even if I come in as a rain cloud, it can be helpful. They don't have to believe me, but once the children know me, I'm a familiar face who they can talk to if I'm needed."

To help parents and professionals prepare sibling-to-be, Weitzman suggests the following tips:

1. Elicit the child's fantasies about the sibling about to join the family.

2. Give the child a voice, separate from the parents.

3. Pay attention when the child's view does not match that of the parents.

4. Be aware that adults may need to adjust a child's fantasy of siblings about to be adopted, particularly if the child expects a "picture perfect" experience.

5. Note that children without other siblings seem to have more difficulty with the transition because of divided attention from their parents or how they perceive the new child behaving towards the adoptive parents.

6. Practice future thinking, helping children project themselves into situations where they will be able to keep their identity apart from their new sibling(s). (For example, beginning middle school, playing soccer, sleeping over at a friend's house.)

7. Be aware that kids equate parental love with the amount of attention given to a new child or children in the family, even if it is negative attention.

8. Help the child do some "grown-up talk" about behaviors that might occur with new sibling(s).

9. Provide ways to grow the sibling relationship, suggesting that they play video games together, pick out a treat together or take turns choosing a movie for the family to view.

10. Remind children of why they were excited to get a new sister or brother, and seek commonalities that might help them renew that initial excitement.

CREDIT:Mary Martin Mason grew up in an open adoption as is her 17-year-old son. She often addresses national audiences on issues of adoption including the open adoption. The author of Designing Rituals of Adoption and Out of the Shadows, Birth Fathers Stories, she is the Adoption Clearinghouse Coordinator for MARN (Minnesota Adoption Support and Preservation - MN ASAP) and editor of the N ASAP Family Voices newsletter. E-mail: mmason@mnadopt.org. http://www.mnasap.org © 2003

http://library.adoption.com/articles/preparing-the-sibling-in-waiting-before-adoption-occurs.html

Waiting Children

·         Children enter foster care through no faults of their own as victims of child abuse, neglect or abandonment. They are removed from their biological families for their own safety and left without a permanent, loving home.

·         More than 26,000 foster youth age out of the system each year with no one to call family and no place to call home.

·         46% of foster youth who age out of the system have not completed high school; 48% were unemployed in the first 12-16 months; 25% experienced homelessness within four years after leaving care; 84% became parents outside of wedlock; and 30% became dependent on public assistance.

·         Foster care is designed to be temporary, yet the average time in care is almost 21 months, and 33% of children ages 9 and older did not have case plans that included permanency goals for living with a family, but rather include plans for long-term foster care or emancipation.

·         65% of former foster children and youth experienced 7 or more school changes while living in the foster care system.

·         The average child waits for an adoptive family for more than 3 years; 19% spend 5 years or more waiting for a family.

Source: U.S. Department Health & Human Services and Annie E. Casey Foundation KIDS COUNT 2008 Data Book

Why Encourage Adoption?

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (AFCARS Estimates as of January 2009):

·         114,500 children in U.S. foster care are available for adoption because parental rights have been terminated; however, only 57,000 children are adopted each year.

·         Each year, 20% of children turn 18 and leave foster care leave without being adopted.

From the National Foster Care Adoption Attitudes Survey, conducted by Harris Interactive and commissioned by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption in 2007:

·         48 million Americans have considered foster care adoption, more so than any other form of adoption. However, they lack awareness and information to move through the adoption process. More needs to be done to connect these families with waiting children.

·         69% of American adults think more should be done to encourage adoption.

·         One in three American adults has considered adopting a child, if just a fraction of them adopted, every child waiting in foster care would have a permanent family.

·         Many Americans have misperceptions about the foster care adoption process and the children waiting for adoption. They need to know that these children did not enter foster care as juvenile delinquents, that foster care adoption is affordable and that the biological parents cannot try to take the child back.

Is Your Workplace Adoption-Friendly?

Ask your employer for adoption benefits with the help of a free toolkit from The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. The toolkit contains a copy of the book, Beyond Benefits: More Ways to Make Your Workplace Adoption-Friendly. It also includes a CD with forms and sample benefit plans, making it easy to propose and establish an adoption benefits policy in your workplace.

The booklet suggests ways for employers to help employees who are considering adoption, are engaged in the process, or have already adopted, plus ways to promote the cause of adoption in the workplace. Created with the support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Visit http://www.davethomasfoundation.org/ for more resources and information.

Auburn Adoption Orientation