Adoption: In the Best Interests of the Child.
Julie is a bright woman with plans of graduating from college and beginning a career. However, she is faced with a difficult decision. Julie is pregnant and unsure of the identity of the father. She desires for her child, Bryce, to have a traditional family and wanting to attend college, Julie decides to give Bryce up for adoption. Julie wishes to stay in contact with Bryce, so she helps the adoption agency locate an adoptive family that is willing to keep the adoption open. A suitable family is discovered, and Julie and Bryce are allowed to remain in touch. Therefore, the bonding process between the adoptive parents and Bryce is disrupted. Due to this fact, there is a loss of security in his life. Bryce is faced with understanding two sets of parents and parental values. As he matures, he becomes confused and finds it difficult to relate to both sets of values. Uncertain of which one is superior, he rejects one or both sets of parental values. Trying not to hurt either Julie or his adoptive parent's feelings, he begins to distance himself from all of them. Bryce becomes depressed because he feels he has lost both sets of parents. Along with this, he also becomes rebellious. His grades at school decline, and he is visiting detention more frequently. Children like Bryce often deal with the same negative effects that stem from open adoption. Although adoption has many benefits, open adoption may have negative effects on young children.
First, what is adoption? "Adoption is taking the child of another parent and making him or her your own. It is a legal process and also an emotional process" (Wishard 1). There are different types to consider with the involvement of the birth parents. Open adoption and closed adoption are both available options. Open adoption defined by social work educator Reuben Pannor includes a detailed process.