Parenthood and Open Adoption, 1st ed. 2016 An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

This book explores what it is like to be involved in contemporary open adoption, characterised by varying forms of contact with birth relatives, from an adoptive parent point of view.

The author?s fine-grained interpretative phenomenological analysis of adopters? accounts reveals the complexity of kinship for those whose most significant relationships are made, unmade and permanently altered through adoption. MacDonald distinctively connects adoption to wider sociological theories of relatedness and personal life, and focuses on domestic non-kin adoption of children from state care, including compulsory adoption. The book also addresses current child welfare concerns, and suggestions are made for adoption practice. The book will be of interest to scholars and students with an interest in adoption, social work, child welfare, foster care, family and sociology.

1. Introduction.- 2. Locating the Study of Adoptive Parenthood.- 3. Parental Entitlement and Proper Parenting.- 4. Public Openness, Difference and Microaggressions.- 5. Configuring adoptive kinship.- 6. Conclusion: Contested Parenthood

Mandi MacDonald is Lecturer in social work at Queens University, Belfast, UK. She has extensive social work experience in statutory child welfare services in Northern Ireland, most recently undertaking permanence planning and public adoption for children in care.  

Identifies two aspects of open

adoption that have received little attention in previous research: public

openness, and the practices involved in configuring adoptive kinship

Seeks to ameliorate the stigma of open adoption and re-assess its cultural value and impact

Includes original interviews which share parents’ personal experiences of open adoption