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Stage 2
This stage of the study followed up adopted children and their adoptive parents and adult birth relatives with the children were in middle childhood.
The study explored how the children were getting on in their adoptive families, how adults and children experienced the contact arrangements, and whether post adoption contact arrangements for having any impact on children’s emotional and behavioural development.
The families in the study all had a plan for some form of open adoption. We focussed on two different types of contact with adult birth relatives (mostly parents and grandparents). One type was face-to-face contact where the adopted child has meetings with their birth relatives. The other type was indirect contact – where letters and sometimes photos or cards are exchanged between adopted parents and birth relatives, via the adoption agency.
The study revealed children’s views about adoption birth family contact and illuminated the family dynamics of post adoption contact across birth and adoptive families.
Research Team
Professor, School of Social Work
Senior Research Associate, School of Social Work
Funder details
This stage of the project was funded by The Nuffield Foundation. The Nuffield Foundation is an endowed charitable trust that aims to improve social well-being in the widest sense. It funds research and innovation in education and social policy and also works to build capacity in education, science and social science research.
The Nuffield Foundation has funded this project, but the views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Foundation. More information is available at www.nuffieldfoundation.org
Key documents: Stage 2
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Stage 2: 2002 - 2004
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Stage 3: 2012 - 2013
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