Social Support for Changes in Adoption Practice: Gay Adoption, Open Adoption, Birth Reunions, and the Release of Confidential Identifying Information

The authors report on a Canada-wide survey examining support for changes in adoption as a kinship form and relate their findings to relevant survey research conducted in the United States. Half of the survey respondents in Canada and the United States support same-sex adoption. There is also strong support for some form of open adoption and birth reunions for adult adoptees. In the Canadian survey, over three quarters of respondents support the unconditional release of confidential identifying information to adult adoptees. The authors discuss the disjuncture between changing social values and policy and practice in adoption.