Connections With Birth Families After Adoption Recognize the benefits for children being aware of their adoption story and maintaining connection with their birth families; aware of strategies for maintaining and promoting connections; understand the continuum that exists for connection; know how to negotiate relationships with birth families; recognize the impact on children’s loyalty and identity toward birth parents and parents who are adopting.

• Understand the benefits of maintaining connections with birth families after adoption for all members of the adoption network.
• Aware of the challenges that may be encountered in maintaining connections with birth families after adoption.
• Aware of practical ways to maintain connections with birth families.
• Understand the loyalty and identity issues children may encounter.

• Believe connections with the birth families after adoption are evolving relationships rather than a static agreement.
• Believe it is important to support children seeking information, communication and potentially a relationship with birth family members.
• View the birth family as important members of the children’s family.

• Able to describe for others the benefits of maintaining relationships after an adoption for people who were adopted, birth families, and families who have adopted