Ignoring family ties: is it really best for children?

Rosie Lewis - The Guardian

In this article from the Guardian, Rosie Lewis, a foster parent and adoptive parent, responds to UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s announcement last week in support of new laws tipping the balance in favor of adoption. These laws would favor adoption in most cases, overriding families ties and are a step too far, says Lewis. “Removing children from all they have known, no matter how necessary, can leave them with painful sensory memories and an aching sense of loss,” says Lewis. “The current system of finding fostered children a permanent home, whenever possible, within their birth family’s network of family or friends has led to a fall in the number of adoptions, but I believe maintaining that link helps to mitigate the crisis of identity that so many adoptees carry with them through life.”