Changes in Birth Father Involvement in Stepfamily Adoption in the Republic of Ireland

Abstract

The majority of domestic adoption applications in the Republic of Ireland today concern the adoption of children into their stepfamilies. These adoptions are processed under the Adoption Act 1952 and the adoption severs connections with the child's non-custodial birth parent, usually the birth father. Birth fathers had no legal entitlement to inclusion in any decision about the proposed adoption of their children until the Adoption Act 1998. This Act allows for the legal notification/consultation of a birth father where his child is placed for adoption. It does not grant him the right to consent or object to the adoption. This study by Celia Loftus relates to the impact of legal change on the practice of involving birth fathers in the stepfamily adoption decisions relating to their children. It formed part of the documentary research and analysis of 269 confidential Adoption Board files on stepfamily adoptions during the years 1985, 1992 and 1999. The findings of the study are related to changing behaviour and expectations in fatherhood as evidenced in other research.

The experiences and needs of birth fathers in adoption: What we know now and some practice implications

“…In 'Changes in birth father involvement in stepfamily adoption in the Republic of Ireland', Loftus (2004) sought to explore whether such a development had occurred. Loftus researched over 300 step-family files and her paper charts a substantial increase in involvement of birth fathers when they are so empowered by legislation designed to encourage a birth father dimension by, for example, the collection of 'sworn information about the birth father from the birth mother ' (2004, 65).…”

The birth certificate, ‘father unknown’ and adoption

“…Other reasons for a father's name not being present may include the possibility that the father has been a danger to the mother, but it is also possible that the mother no longer has such clear grounds for excluding his details. Loftus (2004) provides evidence of a rise in birth father name registration after mothers planning on the adoption of their child were (while stopping short of coercion) asked to sign an affidavit that they did not know him or that he posed a danger. In many of the adoptions during the secret phase, it was more simply the case that, while the mother and father may have been in a relationship (Clapton, 2003), a decision not to cite the father's name was taken by both for fear of him being required to pay upkeep he could not afford.…”