Social Networking’s “Catastrophic Impact” in Adoption Policies
Hundreds of mothers are now complaining about the “catastrophic impact” of social networking websites on their adopted children as increasing use of such platforms by the kids’ natural parents threatened adoption policies.
Based on the complaints, adopted children are being tracked down by their natural parents, which undermined that standard operating controls and safeguards being implemented during adoptions.
Adoption UK chief executive Jonathan Pearce noted that they already receive hundreds of complaints and calls from adoptive parents about the said incidents, fearing for the privacy of the adopted children.
“We are now having difficulty in dealing with the issues. What these natural parents did not realize is that not only they have to deal with the consequences of their actions. It is the children who usually suffer from these kinds of intrusive and unplanned communications,” Pearce stressed.
He said that it has become more difficult for the adoptive parents to guarantee confidentially.
The most common practice in adoption contact, between the natural parents and the child, is made through the “letterbox” process.
In a letterbox, birth families were sent letters and photos by the adoptive parents of the child every year through social networking websites or the adoption agency itself to avoid physical interaction between the two.
If the parents wish to respond to the letters, they will also have to go through the same process, keeping the privacy of the child.
However, with the use of social networking media, any excess information like names, location, and birthday of the child, can give biological parents an idea where to track down their children.
With the increasing number of complaints, adoption agencies are now looking for other possible ways to protect the children from the possible emotional harm the contact with their biological parents can bring to them.
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