Adoption Issues: Changing Trends in Families, Laws, and Disclosure Policies

Adoption is a fairly old practice that has its roots in ancient cultures such as those of Greece, Rome, and Babylonia. While the process has gone on for many years, its procedures have changed periodically to accommodate social norms and cultural values that flow with historical changes. Today's adoptions would undoubtedly be much different that those that occurred in the 1800's or even in the 1950's. Most of these contrasts can be examined in the areas of information disclosure, laws, and the types of families and children participating in the process itself. These changing adoption trends seem to have as many critics as advocates, but it is clear that adoption is no longer the "secretive" practice it once was. As more people share their own personal experiences, such as the case study of Hazel Perez, individuals concerned with adoption can make up their own minds about which practices and policies are the most effective for the welfare of children