Adoptive Parenthood as a 'Legal Fiction' - Its Consequences for Direct Post-Adoption Contact
Year: 2002
Type: preprint
Abstract: This article discusses policy and case-law relating to 'openness' in adoption and particularly to direct (face-to-face) post-adoption contact. It considers critically the proposition that courts should be more proactive in safeguarding contact through, for example, making contact orders under section 8 of the Children Act 1989, alongside adoption orders. The authors refer to their empirical research with adopters, adopted children and birth families to argue that the way ill which adoption constructs parenthood and conveys a sense of ownership and control can serve to facilitate continuing contact.
Source: SSRN Electronic Journal
Authors: Christen A. Smith, John Logan
Institution: University of Manchester
Language: English
Topic: Child Welfare and Adoption
Subfield: Safety Research
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1587461382