John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2004
ISBN978-0-470-09422-8
'The first reunion handbook I've ever read that I couldn't put down. Essential and illuminating reading for anyone involved in adoption reunion.' Kate Hilpern, Journalist specialising in adoption
Many adopted people today try to find information about their origins and search for birth family members. Based on a large scale research study (Adoption, Search and Reunion: the long term experience of adopted adults), the authors have drawn on the real-life experiences of adopted people who have searched for, and had a reunion with, birth relatives. The Adoption Reunion Handbook combines comprehensive and practical step-by-step guidance and advice on:
how to begin
what to expect emotionally
the legal framework
finding names and addresses
how to set up a reunion
making the reunion work long term
rejection and reunion breakdown
further help and advice.
This 'how to' guide is a must for anyone involved, particularly those considering searching for information on their birth relatives. It will also be of use to birth parents, adoptive parents, adoption charities, social workers, psychologists and counsellors.
The authors
Dr Liz Trinder is a researcher into family relationships at the University of East Anglia. She was herself adopted and this is the first time she has written about adoption.
Julia Feast works at BAAF as the Policy, Research and Development Consultant. In the past she managed the post-adoption and care counselling research project at the Children's Society and has counselled both people who have been adopted and also those brought up in care, through the search and reunion process. She has published many articles on the subject of adoption, search and reunion and also the information needs of children conceived as a result of donor-assisted conception. Her books include (with David Howe), Adoption, Search and Reunion (The Children's Society 2000, now published by BAAF) and (with Terry Philpot), Searching Questions: Identity, origins and adoption (BAAF, 2003).
Dr David Howe has a long-standing interest in all aspects of adoption and is the author of many books including Half a Million Women: Mothers who lose their children by adoption (Penguin, now out of print), Adopters on Adoption (BAAF), Patterns of Adoption: Nature, nurture and psychosocial development (Blackwell Science), and with Julia Feast, Adoption, Search and Reunion.
