Adoption carried a social stigma and it was felt by agencies that secrecy was in everyone s best interest. In the closed system, neither birthparents nor adoptive parents were given any information about each other. Very little information was given to the adoptive parents about the child s medical or social history. In the years since, agencies have felt the result of forced secrecy. Many adult adoptees cry out for information about their birthfamilies.
Adolescent adoptees struggle with questions concerning their own history.
At a time in their life when they are establishing their self-identity, most need to know who they look like, why an adoption plan was made for them and if they have any biological siblings. In the last decade, changes have been made by many agencies to right the wrongs found in the closed system. Birthparents and adoptive parents both are treated with much more respect. Birthparents have requested and have been given much more control over the adoption process. Imagine giving birth and then giving all the decision-making over the future of your child to strangers.