Our articles are written by experts in their field and include barristers, solicitors, judges, mediators, academics and professionals from a range of related disciplines. Family Law provides a platform for debate for all the important topics, from divorce and care proceedings to transparency and access to justice. If you would like to contribute please email editor@familylaw.co.uk.
Spotlight
A day in the life Of...
Read on

Hayley Trim's Analysis: Which comes first: Contact or Adoption?

Date:17 JAN 2012

Hayley Trim  Family Law PSLPost adoption contact has hit the news recently with the concern that birth families are tracking down adopted children via social media. There is an insightful post on the subject here.

When it comes to the court's approach to what contact a birth family should have with an adopted child as this post points out "it seems that the best we [when acting for a a birth parent] can get is a vague expression of a ‘hope' that an adoptive family can be found who would be ‘open' to direct contact but in the majority of cases the industry standard is letter box contact once or twice a year."

There is undoubtedly tension between the importance of a stable adoptive placement where the adopters feel secure in their parental role and that of a child knowing his origins and being confident in his identity. The court is obliged to...

Read the full article here.