Post-Adoption Contact Reform: Compounding the State-Ordered Termination of Parenthood?

31 Pages Posted: 16 Oct 2013 Last revised: 18 Dec 2015

See all articles by Brian Sloan

Brian Sloan

University of Cambridge - Robinson College, Cambridge; University of Cambridge - Faculty of Law

Date Written: October 1, 2013

Abstract

The Children and Families Act 2014 pursues the twin policies of increasing the number of children adopted out of compulsory state care and reducing the scope for court-ordered contact between such children and their birth families. Building upon previous work by Dr. Kirsty Hughes and myself, this paper critically evaluates these reforms to post-adoption contact in view of the fact that adoption terminates the legal relationship of parent and child. Aspects of the analysis include the impact of the proposals on "open adoption" and child welfare in the light of the available empirical evidence, and their compatibility with both the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Note: The text of this paper has been removed in accordance with the journal's policy and is available on its website.

Keywords: child protection, human rights, UNCRC, ECHR, identity, law reform

JEL Classification: K30, K36

Suggested Citation

Sloan, Brian, Post-Adoption Contact Reform: Compounding the State-Ordered Termination of Parenthood? (October 1, 2013). [2014] Cambridge Law Journal 378, University of Cambridge Faculty of Law Research Paper No. 42/2013, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2340982 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2340982

Brian Sloan (Contact Author)

University of Cambridge - Robinson College, Cambridge ( email )

Grange Road
Cambridge, CB3 9AN
United Kingdom

HOME PAGE: http://www.robinson.cam.ac.uk/fellows/brian-sloan

University of Cambridge - Faculty of Law ( email )

10 West Road
Cambridge, CB3 9DZ
United Kingdom

HOME PAGE: http://www.law.cam.ac.uk/people/academic/bd-sloan/409

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