Roberta
11-25-2003, 09:15 AM
I don't know about adopted grownups though...
Roberta
mom to Juliette, 7.5, adopted from China
Adopted Children Should Be Able to View Adoption Records, Says New Survey by
FindLaw
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., November 25 /PRNewswire/ -- An overwhelming majority of
Americans believe adopted children should be granted full access to their
adoption records when they become adults, according to a new survey by the
legal Web site FindLaw ( www.findlaw.com ).
President Bush has declared November as National Adoption Awareness Month. A
new national survey conducted by FindLaw found eighty-four percent of Americans
believe adopted children should be allowed to view their adoption records upon
becoming adults. The survey used a representative sample of 1,000 adults
nationwide. Only twelve percent said adopted children should not be granted
full access to their adoption records.
By some estimates, six million Americans were adopted as children. Currently,
adopted children in many states are only allowed to view partial or edited
versions of their adoption records, which often omits information such as
original birth name, name of birth parents and place of birth. Several states
are currently considering legislation that would fully open adoption records.
"The survey results come as no surprise," said R. David Cousineau, President
and CEO of Holt International Children's Services, a leading adoption agency.
"We have placed more than 40,000 children with adoptive families. Our
experience with three generations of adoptees has provided consistent evidence
that adoptive families understand and believe in the necessity of adoptees to
know their birth history. It is the fundamental right of all individuals to
have access to information about themselves. For adoptees, that includes
access to their own birth records with the same equity as other individuals are
entitled."
Opponents of open records policies believe unrestricted access to birth
information would violate the right to privacy of the birth parents, who made
their adoption decisions based on what they believed was a guarantee of
privacy.
Additional information on adoptions and other family law issues can be found on
free legal information Web sites such as www.findlaw.com .
SOURCE FindLaw
CO: FindLaw
ST: California
SU: LAW SVY
Web site: http://www.findlaw.com
http://www.prnewswire.com
11/25/2003 05:20 EST
Roberta
mom to Juliette, 7, adopted from China
Roberta
mom to Juliette, 7.5, adopted from China
Adopted Children Should Be Able to View Adoption Records, Says New Survey by
FindLaw
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., November 25 /PRNewswire/ -- An overwhelming majority of
Americans believe adopted children should be granted full access to their
adoption records when they become adults, according to a new survey by the
legal Web site FindLaw ( www.findlaw.com ).
President Bush has declared November as National Adoption Awareness Month. A
new national survey conducted by FindLaw found eighty-four percent of Americans
believe adopted children should be allowed to view their adoption records upon
becoming adults. The survey used a representative sample of 1,000 adults
nationwide. Only twelve percent said adopted children should not be granted
full access to their adoption records.
By some estimates, six million Americans were adopted as children. Currently,
adopted children in many states are only allowed to view partial or edited
versions of their adoption records, which often omits information such as
original birth name, name of birth parents and place of birth. Several states
are currently considering legislation that would fully open adoption records.
"The survey results come as no surprise," said R. David Cousineau, President
and CEO of Holt International Children's Services, a leading adoption agency.
"We have placed more than 40,000 children with adoptive families. Our
experience with three generations of adoptees has provided consistent evidence
that adoptive families understand and believe in the necessity of adoptees to
know their birth history. It is the fundamental right of all individuals to
have access to information about themselves. For adoptees, that includes
access to their own birth records with the same equity as other individuals are
entitled."
Opponents of open records policies believe unrestricted access to birth
information would violate the right to privacy of the birth parents, who made
their adoption decisions based on what they believed was a guarantee of
privacy.
Additional information on adoptions and other family law issues can be found on
free legal information Web sites such as www.findlaw.com .
SOURCE FindLaw
CO: FindLaw
ST: California
SU: LAW SVY
Web site: http://www.findlaw.com
http://www.prnewswire.com
11/25/2003 05:20 EST
Roberta
mom to Juliette, 7, adopted from China
