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could be assured within the law that their confidence would be
preserved. The sensitivities of women who in the past did not wish to
identify the father of their child, cannot now be accepted to the
same extent without full exploration of the rights of the putative
father and, indeed, the child's right to an identity in which full
knowledge of his or her parentage plays a significant part.
The issue of contact between children who are adopted at an older
age and their birth families also distinguishes adoption today from its
distant - and relatively recent - past. The presumption within the
Children Order that looked after children will have continuing
contact with birth families where this is in the child's interests has
had a significant influence in promoting a more 'open' approach to
adoption. Unlike the 'traditional' adoption of the past, this does not
automatically preclude direct or indirect contact with birth families.
Children in the care system will often have established links with
birth family networks or other siblings in care. It is not uncommon
now for birth parents and prospective adoptive parents to meet, even
in the case of relinquished infant placements. Where there is no
direct contact, adoption agencies have established 'post box'
arrangements for birth and adoptive families to share information at
important stages. Decisions about the level and nature of contact,
however, must always be carefully weighed in terms of the
'paramount' welfare of the child and its implications for children
striving to establish new identities in ways that will not jeopardise
their future well-being.
The current culture of openness is to be welcomed. Children placed
for adoption today have more access to knowledge about their
families of origin and are given a sense of history about themselves
and their past that was denied to former generations.
Once an adoption order is made, it is now widely acknowledged that
the days of 'closing the file' have gone. Many children and their new
families will continue to need support in dealing with the challenges
that their new situations bring. Some of these will include health,
social care and educational needs. Families will also require
reassurance that they can come back at a future date as the
developing child's needs unfold. Adoption services today and in the
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