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Tables of Contents for After Adoption
Chapter/Section Title
Page #
Page Count
List of illustrations
ix
 
Acknowledgements
xi
 
1 Adoption in context: social change and openness
1
17
Adoption: the pace and nature of change
1
5
Adoption practice: openness and secrecy in adoption arrangements
6
2
The changing role of adoption: difference, identity and 'telling'
8
4
Identity issues in context
12
1
The current debate: openness, contact and adoption
13
3
Conclusion: the debate about contact and new challenges
16
1
Summary
17
1
2 Openness in adoption: essential for children's well-being?
18
18
The practice of open adoption and arrangements for contact
18
2
Adoption and identity: the need for information and contact
20
7
Further research: the impact of contact on birth and adoptive parents
27
3
Further research: the impact of contact on children
30
2
Conclusion: how much do we know about the benefits of continuing contact?
32
2
Summary
34
2
3 Policy, law and openness in adoption
36
17
Policy issues: openness and access to information
36
5
Policy issues: post-adoption contact
41
3
Judicial intervention in contact arrangements
44
6
Conclusion: policy development and judicial restraint
50
2
Summary
52
1
4 The study: research issues, methods and sample characteristics
53
16
The study in context
53
1
Ethical and methodological considerations
54
5
Gaining access to adopters, children and birth relatives after adoption
59
1
Research instruments and data collection
60
1
Talking to the children
61
1
Children's characteristics and placements
62
2
Children's legal and 'looked-after' status
64
1
Birth parents' attitudes to adoption and post-adoption contact
64
1
Direct contact: variability, frequency and arrangements
65
2
Conclusion: trials, tribulations and rewards
67
1
Summary
68
1
5 Preparation and planning for direct contact
69
18
Agencies, professional practice and contact
69
1
Preparation for direct contact
70
2
Adoptive parents' attitudes towards contact
72
3
Meeting birth relatives involved in direct contact
75
1
Planning for contact
76
1
Contact planning was agency led: adopters agreed with the plan and felt involved
77
2
Contact planning was agency led: adopters agreed with the plan although they were not involved
79
1
Planning was initiated by the adopters
80
1
Contact planning was led by the agency or other professionals: adopters accepted the plan but remained hostile to its implementation
80
2
Frequency of contact arrangements
82
1
Agency involvement in post-adoption contact arrangements
83
1
Conclusion: agencies and planning for direct contact
84
1
Summary
85
2
6 Adoptive parents: perspectives on adoption and direct contact
87
28
Adoptive parents and adoption
87
1
Opposition to adoption: birth families and contact
88
2
Managing arrangements for contact: a complicated business
90
1
Direct contact: losses and gains
91
2
Adoptive parents' perceptions: advantages of direct contact
93
5
Adoptive parents' perceptions: comfort and satisfaction with direct contact
98
7
Ownership, control and direct contact
105
6
Conclusion
111
2
Summary
113
2
7 Birth relatives and direct contact
115
16
Introduction: birth relatives, adoption and contact
115
1
Birth relatives' attitudes to adoption and satisfaction with adoption outcome
116
5
Birth relatives' satisfaction with frequency and security of contact arrangements
121
2
Special Guardianship: an alternative to adoption?
123
1
Direct contact: personal comfort, role comfort and satisfaction
124
5
Conclusion: birth relatives and direct post-adoption contact
129
1
Summary
129
2
8 Children's thoughts and feelings: adoption and post-adoption contact
131
20
Introduction: the children
131
2
Children and adoption
133
4
Terminating contact: children's wishes and feelings
137
3
Direct contact: children's perceptions of comfort and satisfaction
140
3
Children's and adoptive parents' perceptions of contact
143
1
Contact and saying goodbye
143
2
Sibling relationships: placement and contact
145
1
Sibling contact: children's wishes and feelings
146
3
Conclusion: listening to Children and young people
149
1
Summary
150
1
9 Views from the triangles
151
25
Introduction: triangular relationships
151
1
The sub-sample of adoption triangles
152
3
Agreement to adoption and the enforcement of contact arrangements
155
2
Experiencing direct contact
157
1
The development of relationships: respect and liking
158
2
The development of relationships: sympathy, acceptance and gratitude
160
2
Permission to parent
162
2
The status of parenthood: conflict and competition
164
2
Two kinship networks: the failure to develop a working relationship
166
3
The frequency of contact and changes over time
169
3
Conclusion: prospects for direct post-adoption contact
172
2
Summary
174
2
10 Direct post-adoption contact: benefits, risks and uncertainties
176
9
Sixty-one adoptive families and direct contact
176
2
Contact: factors relating to comfort, satisfaction and beneficial experiences
178
2
Direct contact; risk and uncertainty
180
2
Conclusion: managing uncertainty in decisions about direct post-adoption contact
182
3
References
185
11
Index
196