We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 November 2017
The last substantive chapter in this book moves from procedures concerning the adoption process, to a wider issue concerning the welfare of adoptive children in their later life. One of the most prominent debates regarding adoption currently concerns the issue of access to birth records and information concerning an adoptee's origins. This is an issue that arises both in relation to domestic and to intercountry adoption, and raises questions of the balancing of rights between the adopted child and his or her birth parents, adoptive parents, and public policy. However, in many instances, the fact that the child has come from a different country will pose additional burdens that may not be present in a domestic setting, and must also be addressed.
When discussing the child's right to know his or her biological origins, two issues arise: one, whether the information is collected in the first place; and two, whether the child is permitted to access this information. This chapter will thus discuss not only the negative obligation on states not to prevent a child from accessing details regarding his or her parents, but also the positive obligation to ensure that these details are collected and retained.
It is important to note at this stage that the desire of adopted children to access information on their origins can vary dramatically across individuals, and across different periods of their life. Some adoptees might yearn for information, while others have no interest at all. This chapter does not suggest that all people must know their origins, rather that all should be given the opportunity to do so if they so wish.
INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS
UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
The right of a child to have access to his or her origins was first addressed by the United Nations in the 1986 Declaration on Social and Legal Principles relating to the Protection and Welfare of Children.
To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.
