The Impact of Adoption

Although adoption is often a joyful and exciting occasion, it can also give rise to lifelong challenges for members of the adoption constellation. Awareness of these issues can help families better understand each other and the personal effects of the adoption experience. This factsheet provides an overview of the seven core issues in adoption and how they may affect the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of children and adults who have been adopted, birth parents, and adoptive parents. 

Suggested Citation: Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2019). The impact of adoption. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau.

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