Frequently asked questions about sibling contact Amy L. Paine was funded by the Waterloo Foundation (Grant reference: 738/3512). 4 facts about post-adoption contact May 18, 2017 by Sara Werner. In extreme cases, children may be subjected to physical, sexual or emotional abuse by siblings during contact. Where an adopted child is the only child in their birth family, it is still important to assess prospective adoptive parents views about sibling contact as it is possible that further children will be born to either or both of the birth parents. How well the two (or more) sets of adults get on is crucial to how the sibling contact progresses. This study was funded by the Welsh Government. When siblings are not placed together, adoption is the most serious risk to the continuity of their relationship. This is important in case contact arrangements change and risk assessments need to be revisited post adoption order. FACT SHEET: Post-Adoption Contact Agreements A significant piece of legislation passed in 2010 called the Adoption Reform Amendment Act (“ARA”) changed several of the laws around adoption and guardianship.1 The law includes provisions allowing for judicial enforcement of voluntarily-entered post-adoption contact agreements between Beckett (2018) observed the significance children who have never lived together can attach to the sibling relationship. , Doughty J. Two other children, whose original plans did not include direct sibling contact, had since had face-to-face contact with siblings. These research requests come from Sue Austin (University of Bristol) and Yewande Reece (University of Birmingham). Post, Esq., Sarah McCarthy, Esq. Adopted children and children in care generally want contact with their separated siblings. The semi-structured interview format included a section on contact, where adopters were invited to share views and experiences of the contact arrangements between their child and birth siblings living elsewhere, including any support needed in managing contact. We harnessed prospective, longitudinal data to determine the extent to which plans for contact between adopted children and birth siblings living elsewhere materialised over time. Further research regarding experiences and support needs of adoptive parents and adoptees in managing relationships with siblings online is a priority. Some may charge a nominal fee. Contact after adoption agreement (a) Applicability of rule This rule applies to any adoption of a child. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The British Association of Social Workers. Some parents expressed concerns that contact might be hurtful or destructive. When contact is broken, I don't want it to be because I am being harsh or whatever in the childrens' eyes. Looked after siblings or care leavers of unsettled residence can be difficult to keep track of and social workers of children in care can change frequently, making communication difficult. Parents expressed their need for support early in the placement as they prepared to set in motion plans for meeting their child’s sibling(s). The information shared by the adoptive families illustrates the challenges they faced in promoting sibling contact; in weighing up the complexities associated with managing contact in the short term against the anticipated benefit for their child in the longer term; of balancing a commitment to sibling contact with the psychological needs of their child; and of organising contact within the context of interactions with other families involved and social work professionals. In the longer term children may wish to develop their relationship by meeting with each other. However contact that is temporarily upsetting should not necessarily be stopped – contact can help with communication around adoption allowing a child’s difficult feelings and memories to be expressed and talked about, aiding their coping with grief. When thinking about contact venues it is important to recognise and be sensitive to the fact  that there may be significant differences between families in their ability to fund trips to certain more expensive venues (for example theme parks). Often a simple opportunity to share feelings can make a considerable difference to contact satisfaction. Some may seek to reconnect using social media. Postadoption Contact Agreements Between Birth and Adoptive Families. Of n = 68 who participated at Wave 4, 28 per cent (n = 19) of the children were placed for adoption as part of sibling group, and 79 per cent had birth siblings living elsewhere (Table 2). He was the most relaxed I’ve ever seen him (Interview). 2018. In n = 15/27 instances, this was consistent with the contact plan made at the start of the adoptive placement, but for the other 12, it was a departure from what had been agreed. Consideration should therefore be given to investing in sibling connections that have the potential to evolve into meaningful relationships. Children and Youth Services Review, 84, pp.247-254. Contact plans were often seen as inflexible, with formalised and infrequent meetings. Section 309.135 - Post-Permanency Sibling Contact Agreement. The expectation by the adoption agency about the conduct of indirect contact as well parents’ own expectations of the experience, appeared to influence motivation to sustain the arrangement. Sibling contact planned (4 months post-adoptive placement), Indirect contact with at least one sibling, Copyright © 2021 British Association of Social Workers. Many adopted parents struggle to see the value of contact over the long term. Herrick, M. A., and Piccus, W. 2005. In the UK, contact arrangements between adopted children and birth siblings living elsewhere usually take one of two forms: (i) direct, or, face-to-face contact; and (ii) indirect, or, letterbox contact, where letters or cards (passed through an adoption agency) are exchanged between the adoptive family and the sibling(s). This has dwindled in last year which certainly has not helped. On the basis of these findings, we make recommendations pertaining to the management of both letterbox and face-to-face contact and life story work, and underscore the importance of investing in sibling relationships. The influence of adoption on sibling relationships: Experience and support eeds of newly formed adoptive families. At Wave 4 neither family had maintained any form of birth sibling contact: I have got a problem with sitting down and doing one of them horrible naff things that most people seem to get at Christmas, you know, like a summary of our year written in the third party and all that sort of stuff… there seems to a whole lack of living and breathing around it, you know? Reassuring older children that their younger adopted siblings are well looked after may be important, alongside acknowledging and valuing the experience of the older sibling in caring for their brother or sister. But when you read further in the letter it says, ‘possible direct contact with siblings’, and I thought it was set in stone (Interview). Help to set up and maintain sibling contact may be important. Psychological issues in adoption: Research and practice, 167-186. In our study, the unmet need for professional help with life story work for a quarter of the families four years post placement is concerning. Rather than balancing the rights of the adoptive parents with the rights of the siblings, most states require a best interests analysis to determine if siblings should have post-adoption contact (e.g., Florida). It can be important for siblings to remain in touch if adopted into different families and such contact can be valuable for both adoptive families. In the UK, contact arrangements between adopted children and birth siblings living elsewhere usually take one of two forms: (i) direct, or, face-to-face contact; and (ii) indirect, or, letterbox contact, where letters or cards (passed through an adoption agency) are exchanged between the adoptive family and the sibling(s). Once complete, quotes were attributed to themes to illustrate the data. Siblings can continue to be a source of support in adult life. , Mills S. The regulations accompanying this Act in England and in Wales1 include support for post adoption contact in the list of prescribed support services. Redefining family relationships following adoption: adoptive parents’ perspectives on the changing nature of kinship between adoptees and birth relatives. Neil, E., Young and Hartley. The present study focuses on the questionnaires completed by adoptive parents at 4 months (N = 96, Wave 1) and 4 years post-placement (N = 68, 71%, Wave 4), and a subsample of 40 families (42%) who were interviewed at 9 months-post placement. The influence of adoption on sibling relationships: Experience and support eeds of newly formed adoptive families. Sibling Relationship in Foster Care: Foster Parent Perspective. Children with little in common can result in difficulties finding activities that will be enjoyed by all. Unfortunately, siblings in foster care sometimes are separated through the adoption process. A systematic review, Psychological Issues in Adoption: Research and Practice, Making sense of siblings: Connections and severances in post‐adoption contact, Rights and relationships of children who are adopted from care, International Journal of Law, Policy and the Family, The Role of the Social Worker in Adoption – Ethics and Human Rights: An Enquiry, Siblings are special: Initial test of a new approach for preventing youth behavior problems, Adoptive family experiences of post-adoption contact in an Internet era, Sibling connections: The importance of nurturing sibling bonds in the foster care system, Sibling relationships in adoptive and fostering families: A review of the international research literature. The enquiry called for a significant rethink of approaches to contact. Other parents assumed a more passive stance, placing the responsibility for organising contact on the adoption agencies. Life story work is an important component of the professional support provided to adopted children to help them integrate their past with their present and future. In the main, parents were committed to supporting direct sibling contact and usually plans for such contact had materialised four years post-placement. Farr, R. H., Flood, M. E. and Grotevant, H. D. 2016. Parents were dissatisfied with agency protocols, viewing the convention as too rigid, superficial, or demanding. Others emphasised the importance of providing their child with the opportunity for the sibling relationship to evolve. One mother for example, who had harboured concerns about her son’s emotional ‘fall-out’ following contact with his older brothers explained: When direct [sibling] contact had finished I thought I was going to have a real battle on my hands and I thought I was going to have a very upset child… and I don’t know whether it was because he was happy thinking that I am going to let him still see them or what, but he fell asleep on the way home. The Wave 1 and interview data highlighted the need for adoption agencies to help facilitate planned direct contact; not least by ensuring that all parties consented to the exchange of personal details. SETTLEMIRE FORMATTED.DOCX (DO NOT DELETE) 12/5/2011 2:53 PM 2011 POST-ADOPTION CONTACT BETWEEN SIBLINGS 167 those children had four or more siblings.11 Having recognized the importance of the sibling relationship,12 New Jersey requires in its Child Placement Bill of Rights Act13 that the State make “best efforts” to place siblings together when they are removed from their … Macaskill, C. 2002. whether the judge orders that ongoing contact is going to have to do with whether it’s in the best interest of the children. Neil et al., 2018). This is corroborated by Neil et al., (2018), who noted sibling contact occurred more often among children over the age of two when placed for adoption, than among those who were younger. 1999. Available at: http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/siblings-contact-and-law-overlooked-relationship. In the Wave 1 questionnaire, parents answered questions about planned contact arrangements (if any) with birth siblings living elsewhere. My second short point relates to post-adoption contact. , Ottaway H. The significance and importance of sibling relationships for a child should feature in contact planning. Although some siblings may find contact after adoption a source of comfort and reassurance (Meakings et al., 2017), sibling relationships in adoptive families who have experienced a disruption or are in crisis, can be harmful (Selwyn, 2019). More work is needed to establish how best to prepare and support all children as they transition to their new family arrangement. If you are an adult sibling or a sibling who still lives at home with your birth parents, and you want to visit with a brother or sister who is in placement, you can call the DCFS Advocacy Office for Children and Families and ask about creating a Post Permanency Sibling Contact Agreement. , Coffey A. J. The regulations accompanying this Act in England and in Wales1 include support for post adoption contact in the list of prescribed support services. 2014. If the siblings are of very different ages so that they have little in & Shelton, K. H. 2017. Children and young people who are not able to see siblings may be very unhappy about this. Further discussion among social work professionals is warranted to consider the features of best practice around supporting contact and how this can be established and maintained within teams. E-mail: Beyond Together or Apart: Planning for, Assessing and Placing Siblings Groups, What is the impact of birth family contact on children in adoption and long-term foster care? The receipt of letters outside agreed times was also considered difficult. O’Neill, D., Loughran, H., & McAuley, C. 2017. The dynamics of the relationship between siblings, including where siblings may need help to repair or improve their relationships in order to make contact successful. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide, This PDF is available to Subscribers Only. At nine months post-placement, just five children had seen a brother or sister living elsewhere since moving into their adoptive home. , Jones C. 1). We don’t know what to do about it (Wave 4). This paper examines the experience of post‐adoption direct sibling contact from the perspectives of adoptive parents and birth relatives, including adult siblings. This can be difficult for some children to manage, but sometimes these different views can provide a good opportunity for adoptive parents to talk to their child about their family situation. Given that adoption disrupts the natural evolution of birth sibling relationships for many children, and that children may be placed for adoption before formation of a sibling bond, it seems difficult to justify dismissing contact simply because a sibling relationship was not sufficiently established at the point the child was placed for adoption. These comprised: (i) talking openly about adoption; (ii) children’s reactions to contact; (iii) support for contact and (iv) rapport between families. Adopters should be encouraged to create a climate of openness and honesty so they can talk through with their child any worries they have after talking with siblings. The families were also asked to describe any changes to the original sibling contact plan. The sibling relationship in the context of child maltreatment: What do we know? , Solmeyer A. R. This article, written by the solicitor and junior counsel for the appellants, considers the backdrop against which this appeal was made and where this judgment leaves the issue of post-adoption contact. Child Abuse Review, 25(5), 373-385. 2 The written agreements specify the type and frequency of contact and are signed by the parties to an adoption prior to finalization. (, Meakings S. Face to face meetings may not always be wanted by children or be practical or appropriate for a period of time. Adoption Search Angels – Adoption Search Angels volunteer their time and talents to help families touched by adoption. Contact with family members and its impact on adolescents and their foster placements. When siblings are placed in other adoptive families or long term foster care it may be easy for adoptive parents to integrate them into their social/kinship network. We have tried maintaining an open adoption, as my kids were ages 5-14 when they came home to me and I have tried very hard to do what seems to be the right thing by keeping contact. It should be noted that sibling contact arrangements were often complex. Overall there must be an understanding that one approach will not fit all, and adults may need to be supported to meet and discuss what works for them, and be encouraged to collaborate together and work flexibly for the benefit of the children. Re TJ (Relinquished for adoption: sibling contact) [2017] EWFC 6. There is growing consensus that indirect contact is not meeting the needs of those for whom the arrangement is intended (e.g. Young people prevented from seeing or not able to see siblings may make contact over social media exposing them to dangers of unsolicited communication from others in the birth family with whom they do not want contact. There appeared to be parallels between greater levels of ‘communicative openness’ and the maintenance of sibling contact over time. We won’t ever stop it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they do at some point (Interview). Moyers, S., Farmer, E. & Lipscombe, J. A Family For Every Child is a non-profit organization that serves families, children, and agencies nationwide. The dynamics that exist within the new adoptive family will influence, and be influenced by, those that exist between siblings. Loss of sibling relationship as a consequence of adoption is widespread. Maintaining these relationships can provide a source of continuity for adopted children and help to mitigate some of the loss experienced. Ofsted. However, there is no corresponding legal duty to execute planned arrangements, so any contact between an adopted child and a birth sibling living elsewhere is reliant on an informal agreement between the involved parties (Cossar and Neil, 2013). Post by winni » … This paper will consider the rights of children in the New Jersey foster care system to continued contact post adoption with their siblings who might also be in a foster care (See also https://contact.rip.org.uk/further-reading/). Adoptive family experiences of post‐adoption contact in an Internet era. Paternal half siblings are particularly likely to be ‘lost’ to the adopted child. It is important to stay focused on ensuring that the contact meets the children’s needs – whether this is continuing relationships, creating new relationships and long term links, slowly building familiarity and trust, or providing reassurance as to the sibling’s wellbeing. Three powerful assumptions may outweigh the promotion of anything other than indirect contact: that expectations of direct contact will deter potential adopters; that post-adoption contact should and can … According to parents, visits had usually been arranged with minimal social work oversight. While we are finalizing adoption, they are just beginning their foster care journey. It is important to stay focused on ensuring that the contact meets the children’s needs – whether this is continuing relationships, creating new relationships and long term links, slowly building familiarity and trust, or providing reassurance as to the sibling’s wellbeing. Most statutes permit postadoption contact or communication for birth parents. The maintenance of sibling contact… At interview most parents emphasised their commitment to sibling contact, however, some felt that decisions had been imposed upon them rather than negotiated. SETTLEMIRE FORMATTED.DOCX (DO NOT DELETE) 12/5/2011 2:53 PM 2011 POST-ADOPTION CONTACT BETWEEN SIBLINGS 167 those children had four or more siblings.11 Having recognized the importance of the sibling relationship,12 New Jersey requires in its Child Placement Bill of Rights Act13 that the State make “best efforts” to place siblings … At Wave 4, 7 per cent (5/68) of parents had not yet spoken to their child about adoption. It may be direct (face-to-face or over the telephone) or indirect (via letter) and may involve the child’s birth parents, siblings or relations from the wider family – such as aunts and uncles or grandparents. Their findings exposed the complex networks that existed between the families, which connected some siblings, but not others. She's had some issues since the adoption of our son, and we don't want to make things worse for her… I’m not sure [my daughter] would be happy with another girl saying she’s our son’s sister (Wave 4). Sibling placement in foster care and adoption: an overview of international research. 3 Contact can range from the adoptive and birth parents exchanging information about a child (e.g., cards, letters, There are generally high levels of satisfaction with face-to-face sibling contact; contact with siblings is seen by children and adopters as less complicated and more positive than contact with birth parents. Contact after adoption poses challenges for adoptive families and birth relatives in negotiating changing kinship ties. The British Association of Social Workers-commissioned enquiry into adoption (Featherstone et al., 2018) observed a reliance on indirect contact between adopted children and their birth families, even in circumstances where birth family were not considered a threat. The local authority, in its capacity as adoption agency, sought a declaration from the court … She [Nan] is quite a forceful character, but apparently, she likes us so that’s good enough for me! Diversity, Ambiguity and Fragility: The Experiences of Post-Adoption Sibling Relationships. Search Advanced search. for contact after the finalization of an adoption. Try and map out and document who and where each child’s siblings are. But successful contact may happen using a multitude of forms of communication including cards, phone calls, videos, skype and email – instead of or in addition to visits. However, in your case, I would … , Gupta A. We have experience working with adoption cases of all kinds. There were instances where sibling contact had not occurred because neither parents, nor the adoption agency had set plans in motion: We are supposed to do letterbox [indirect] contact, but no one has contacted us to do this. The court will inquire as to the status of the development of a voluntary postadoption sibling contact agreement at the time of the first review hearing and all subsequent hearings after parental rights are terminated. 2006. means contact. Understanding of sibling relationships in the context of adoption is limited (Selwyn, 2019) and this is particularly true for siblings living separately. Two key elements of the process involve communication with the adopted child about adoption and the promotion of their dual connection (Neil, 2009). Available at https://www.frg.org.uk/images/PDFS/siblings-in-care-final-report-january-2015.pdf (accessed 15th May 2018). 6.2.5: Sibling Contact. Sibling relationships can be a relevant factor at every stage of public law proceedings. Seventy-one per cent of these children (n = 86) were placed with full siblings and 21 per cent (n = 26) with maternal half siblings. The adequate preparation of children for direct contact was considered important. Boyle, C. 2017. I just hope it doesn’t break down and I just hope that we can all remain in contact. Attitudes and beliefs about adoption varied widely amongst adoptive parents, influencing the extent to which they wanted (or were able) to openly communicate with children about their lives and connections to both adoptive and birth family. This complicated plans for sibling contact; there were instances where contact had not happened because of the children’s insufficient understanding of their life history. This exchange of information may be helpful (for example an older sibling reassuring a younger sibling that adoption was the right decision, or passing on valued news about other family members). Siblings placed together for adoption will need to renegotiate their relationship in the context of their new family. Life story work is intended to help provide adopted children with an age appropriate, coherent narrative of their life experience. By Dawn J. Hegar R. 2005. , Sakuma K. While both state and federal statutes exist aimed at nurturing and preserving sibling bonds during children’s stay in foster care placement, none provide for continued contact post adoption. Several parents described repeatedly prompting social workers to liaise with the families with whom birth siblings lived so that arrangements could be made. 324-334. Post-adoption contact should be considered only in relation to the needs and best interests of the child, with no presumption for or against allowing contact. Indirect contact with siblings had been proposed for a further 32 per cent of the children (n = 31/81). (, Greenhow S. Thesis submitted to the University of East Anglia https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/39144/1/2012OttawayHCPhD.pdf (accessed 15th May 2018). Our sincere thanks go to the staff from the local authority adoption teams in Wales, who kindly assisted with contacting families, and to our research advisory group for their guidance. For practical ideas and resources on how to include and explore ‘contact’ during training of prospective adopters see the Working with adopters page. Although sibling relationships are commonly characterised by both positive and negative dimensions, it is well-established that warm, harmonious sibling interactions are related to positive outcomes in childhood and later life (Feinberg et al., 2013). Relationships with siblings may have provided comfort and support for children when home circumstances were difficult. These records provided information about children placed during the study window, including details about known birth sibling networks. This involves (1) a In at least one instance, this was compounded by the assumption that the contact plans detailed at court were legally binding. Sibling placement and contact in out-of-home care. Research and practice feedback suggests that separation from siblings is a particularly damaging part of some past adoption placements for the children concerned. New children joining families may also require a reconsideration of contact. They may need to be reassured with photos and videos or simply information about their siblings if meetings are not practical, unsafe or not wanted. Another mother described how her family had been approached by the local authority to consider adopting their son’s newborn brother. If the child is a dependent of the juvenile court, the adoption petition may be filed in that juvenile court and the clerk must open a confidential adoption … They did not provide any assistance to facilitate contact, nor engage in any discussion about the possibility. Nine of the 68 (13 per cent) families had still not received their child’s life story book and n = 12/43 (28 per cent) parents who had used the book with their child rated it as unhelpful. Therefore it is likely that step-parents, siblings and foster carers can make an application for contact. Sibling characteristics derived from social work records, questionnaires and interview samples. BACKGROUND For California’s foster children and youth, adoption is one of the desired outcomes that the state child welfare system strives to achieve. They often want to see more of their siblings, and may worry about separated siblings, including those they have never met. Key factors to take account of when considering which siblings should have what contact are: Who the child views as a sibling, bearing in mind that children do always not class ‘family’ just in terms of ‘blood’. Contact. 2009. Three powerful assumptions may outweigh the promotion of anything other than indirect contact: that expectations of direct contact will deter potential adopters; that post-adoption contact should and can … Demographic characteristics of social work records, questionnaires and interview samples. Some described how they had assumed responsibility for negotiating arrangements and had taken it upon themselves to organise contact without involving the adoption agencies: [Sibling contact] is being managed by us and other adoptive parents with no knowledge by social services (Wave 4). & Waid, J. Although the present study focuses on adopted children’s contact with siblings living elsewhere, support for other types of sibling relationships must also be considered, such as those created through adoption. Child & Family Social Work 18: 67. The expectations of indirect contact, from both an agency and adopter’s perspective, may be explored in adopter training. Open communication between the families was also considered important. Although the importance of maintaining an adopted child’s relationship(s) with their birth sibling(s) living elsewhere is emphasised in UK national guidance, very little is known about how children’s plans and arrangements for contact unfold over time. Policy and Advocacy Unit, CREATE Foundation. Adopted children needed help to make sense of their sibling connections, adoptive parents needed support in thinking about their child’s contact arrangements, while siblings living elsewhere (particularly those who remained in the birth family) needed support in adjusting to alterations in the sibling relationship. , Meakings S. Given that in England and Wales most children enter care following abuse and neglect (DfE, 2016; Welsh Government, 2016), children who lived together pre-adoption may share a history of maltreatment (Selwyn et al., 2015), yet knowledge about the effects of abuse and neglect on the quality of the sibling relationship remains sparse (Katz and Hamama, 2018).