Preservation Versus Severance: Promoting Human Rights In Adoption Policy

This year The Open Nest Charity will host a non profit collaboration between a group of individuals and organisations who are concerned about some child protection practices that lead to the traumatic and permanent severance of parents and families from their children via adoption.

Of interest to parents, carers, social workers, teachers, youth workers, politicians, lawyers, midwives, judges and experts by experience and of course any combination of the above.

Based upon years of their research, academics Anna Gupta, Brigid Featherstone and Andy Bilson will set the scene for why these conversations and collaborations need to be had at this precise moment in political and social history. This will be followed by round table discussions with parents and their professional allies from supportive organisations (Announcement of organisations and collaborators coming soon)

Delegates will be able to balance the research they hear with direct life experiences and the opportunity to speak with parent and ally collaborators in smaller groups at THE OPEN IDEAS CAFE.

With closed adoption being the current governments preference for permanence, millions of pounds of funding has been pushed in favour of adoption recruitment and support. Many children have been severed from their family roots and personal history within that process. Parents and their families are left in living grief with little support available. The voices of adult adoptees remain scare and are often excluded in consultation and policy.

Research shows women are more likely to have their children removed if they live in certain areas of the country, are care leavers, are learning disabled or because they themselves are victims of violence. Some women are multiply disadvantaged.

Collaborators will share their stories and discuss ways in which the right support makes positive outcomes for families more possible.

Mothers will discuss experiences of having their children placed for adoption and how they are using their experiences to educate others. Adopted people will talk about their experiences of adoption and what they feel services should focus upon. Adopters will give their experiences of positive open adoption and co parenting in the best interests of adopted children. Parent and family allies will discuss ways that working together across divides and creating safe spaces for dialogue can bring about positive cultural and systemic change.

Information will be shared in RESEARCH, CONVERSATIONS and through ARTWORKS that reflect diverse experiences as well as common threads and show that individuals and groups working together to make positive change is the best way and most powerful way forward to make adoption a safe and very last resort.

The day will offer opportunities for professional collaboration and information sharing.

Lunch and regular refreshments are provided. See the venue website for the days beautiful settings.

We will start late enough for those travelling distances to not miss anything and the venue is directly next to York Station.