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INFERTILITY   ADOPTION   POST-ADOPTION   FAMILY TREE   Adoption Resource Central    Heart of Adoption Articles to inspire   International adoption guide   You can order Family Helper publications		Miall/March Study: Canadians see adoption in a positive light BY ROBIN HILBORN, Family Helper editor
		(Nov. 18, 2003) Two Canadian researchers have provided the first in-depth report on public attitudes towards adoption. The study "Social Support for Adoption in Canada" concludes that Canadians view many aspects of adoption very positively. The 2002 study was the work of principal investigator Charlene E. Miall, Ph.D., McMaster University and co-investigator Karen March, Ph.D., Carleton University. A summary is at www.carleton.ca/socanth/Faculty/News%20Release%20Adoption%20Survey.PDF. (U.S. public attitudes to adoption were reported in a similar survey, the June 2002 "National Adoption Attitudes Survey". See www.adoptioninstitute.org/survey/survey_intro.html.) Drs. Miall and March analyzed the answers of a sample of 706 Canadians to questions posed by telephone between May and July 2000. (The interviewees did not include any birthparents, adoptive parents or adoptees.) The Institute for Social Research, York University, Toronto did the Canada-wide telephone survey. The work was funded by a $46,000 grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Here's what Canadians think of adoption: * Over three-quarters of Canadians surveyed strongly approve of adoption as a family form. * A majority support some form of open adoption allowing contact between birth parents and adoptive parents after the adoption happens. * Canadians also think that confidential adoption (no contact between birth parents and adoptive parents) should continue to be available to those who want it. * Canadians overwhelmingly approve international adoption. * Canadians are nearly evenly split on the question of adoption by gay or lesbian couples. * Most approved the notion of reunions between adults placed for adoption and their birth parents. * Canadians are strongly in favour of adult adoptees getting confidential identifying information about their birth parents. * Three-quarters of Canadians surveyed felt that birth parents and adoptive parents should not be able to prevent adult adoptees learning their original identities. (Most adoption reunion registries currently allow birth parents to veto requests for information by adult adoptees.) However, only 45% of Canadians approved of birth parents learning the identities of their adopted adult children without their permission. Detailed findings of the Miall/March study are at Adoption Council of Canada, www.adoption.ca/news/031118miall.htm. ________________________________________ You may reproduce this item with the credit: "Source: Family Helper (www.familyhelper.net)"