I found this article today which reports some new statistics on adoption.

The study was released a week ago by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institue. I am not familiar with this particular organization so I am unable to address what their adoption philosophy is, or if they have a particular agenda regarding adoption. However, the report is entitled Safeguarding the Rights and Well-Being of Birthparents in the Adoption Process, so that at least tells me what the emphasis is for this particular study. Here is a quote from the article:

Today, a woman who places her child up for adoption is more apt to be in her 20s, living on her own, and often raising other children, according to Donaldson researchers. Most birth mothers have graduated from high school, many have college educations, and some may even be in graduate school. A few are married.

And far from surrendering her baby and never looking back, the mother typically wants regular updates and periodic contact with her child -- and is likely to suffer chronic grief if she fails to achieve it.

"The notion that women could ever part with a child they created and just forget about it is nonsense," said Adam Pertman, executive director of the Donaldson Institute in New York.

There isn't a lot of information offered in the article about the specifics of the study. I'd like to know more about the actual research that was involved, how the data was obtained, and what the sources were for some of the statements made in the article. Although, I don't feel like there is a lot of substance to the article, the issues that are raised are important ones. I just don't feel like they are addressed in enough detail.

When time allows, I will do a little more internet research and see what I can find out about this particular institute. I will report back with what I learn.

I have been fascinated by what appears to be a trend towards strongly encouraging open adoption. I am pro-choice on the issue. I believe the choice as to whether an adoption is closed or open is up to the parents, all of the parents. Surrendering parents who want an open adoption should be matched with adopting parents who agree with that choice. Adopting parents who want a closed adoption should be matched with children for whom closed adoption is an option.

In previous posts I have written that I believe the emphasis on open adoptions probably produces a coercive atmosphere for some adopting parents. I can't say for certain, but it just seems to make sense to me that some adoptive parents would feel pressured into agreeing to an open adoption if they ever hope to be matched with a child. Maybe this is a phenomenon that has already been studied. Does anyone out there know if it has been addressed elsewhere?

I read a post on another blog at www.adoptions.com some months ago suggesting that the large numbers of international adoptions were driven, in part, by adoptive parents who did not want to have contact with surrendering parents. I don't know if that is at all accurate, but it is an interesting point to consider. Does anyone have any information on this particular phenomenon, if it even exists?