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We examined how adoptive families manage and respond to contact with children's birth siblings living elsewhere within a nationally representative sample of 96 families who adopted a child between 01 July 2014 and 31 July 2015. We harnessed prospective, longitudinal data to determine the extent to which plans for contact between adopted children and birth siblings living elsewhere materialised over time. We present adoptive parents' views and experiences of the contact over four years, together with an analysis of factors that were thought to have prevented, hindered and/or enabled contact between adopted children and their birth siblings. The information shared by the adoptive families illustrates the challenges they faced in promoting sibling contact; in weighing up the complexities associated with managing contact in the short term against the anticipated benefit for their child in the longer term; of balancing a commitment to sibling contact with the psychological needs of their child; and of organising contact within the context of interactions with other families involved and social work professionals. On the basis of these findings, we make recommendations pertaining to the management of both letterbox and face-to-face contact and life story work, and underscore the importance of investing in sibling relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rights of children who are adopted in England and Wales, their birth parents, siblings and extended family, and their adoptive parents are considered in this article. This includes the rights of parents and children regarding consent to adoption; their rights to post-adoption contact; children's rights to develop an understanding of their identity as an adopted person; and adopters' rights to support in helping their children – in the framework of domestic law and human rights conventions. The article draws on findings from the Wales Adoption Cohort Study to inform the discussion. This study included a case file study of 374 children's adoption records, surveys of newly adoptive parents (96) and interviews with them (40). These findings included that, generally, adoptive parents had respect for the child's previous family ties. Adopters had a positive attitude toward helping their children with contact (especially with siblings) and making sense of their identity, but often struggled with a lack of professional support. There was a tendency amongst agencies towards a blanket policy on indirect contact, rather than planning more flexible individual arrangements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]