- “Not every child will be better off adopted than in long-term foster care or guardianship.” (p.37).
- “Not everyone believes that adoption is of great value to children and American society.” (p.41).
- “Adoption foes are gaining greater attention as they argue that adoption is a cause of trauma to children and birth parents and that both experience irreparable harm from their separations.” (p.41)
- “Our profession is called to prioritize family preservation and permanency in child welfare.” (p.165).
- “Neither foster care nor adoptions services should be used merely because they provide a convenient choice in a difficult situation.” (p.167)
- “The needs and rights of adoptees to know their birth origin should be recognized and respected.” (p.170).
The bad news? The NASW and social workers do not make adoption policy and never have. Noe does the CWLA who has set "guidelines" for ethical practices. All adoption experts were against sealed records form the very beginning and said so and were ignored!
The sad reality? Adoption is no longer under any control by social workers or any government regulation, other than that which regulates any business (read commerce)!
Acknowledgment: My gratitude to Harry Kuhn, MSW for locating these quotes which help support and further our cause.
6 comments:
How wonderful to see this acknowledgement and support for some of our positions! Thank you Harry and Mirah.
Bernadette
Thanks Mirah, for pointing all this out to us. Sometimes it feels as if we are screaming into the wind. If only social workers had more clout!
you are so right, i have a child in the system and i've been tring to get my baby home since they stole him from me, i was badly beaten up by my x-boyfriend and instead of them helping me get away from him they took my son forever, i've not been with my x-boyfriend since the day he hurt me, and i have a full time job that pays well and a home he would love, but thet say i'm a danger to my own boy, what is that? we need change and fast . what can we do?
"The bad news? The NASW and social workers do not make adoption policy and never have".
I thought social workers, along with AP's and Adoption Agencies lobbyed Congressmen to get our records closed in 1951-that is what I read and have been told.So that is wrong?
Improper,
As you know every state sealed their different records at different times and used slightly different arguments.
Yes, in som states social workers were very much convinved that wiping the slate clean for mother and child was best. Tabla Rosa was a commonly held theory and they believed they were "erasing" the "sin" and
illegitimacy.
Some, like Annette Baran, have apologized for believing these mantras of social mores they were taught.
Further, CWLA and others, were opposed to sealed records from the beginning.
Be that as it may - social workers can influence legislation, but they do not do not create laws.
So, what I am saying is that it's great that they now make these positive statements. There are also plenty of other son the other side that not only have the "ears" of legislators, but LOBBY them...as well all know!
In other words - my wish would be from their "lips" to God's ears! They make "recommendations" - they don't make law!
adoptauthor-ty for answering my question-I have never heard the term tabla rosa before-until I read that atupid article by Heidi Saxton-I wasn't raised Catholic so-what a messed up theory that is-wiping out sin is forgiving it, not sweeping someone's real idenity under a rug, and causing both Mother and child a life full of pain-it is aggravating how much we Adoptees and Real Moms have to suffer from man made dogma-anyway, you are right that it is good views are changing-I just hope some social workers can have a major influence on elected state officials. I hate to ask you another question, but I don't know what CWLA is either-I'm really interested in reading your book, and will be looking for a copy to read. I still have some things to learn about this oppresssion called Adoption that pretty much wreaked my life.
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