A more open approach to adoption is needed so that adopted people do not lose relationships with people who have been important to them in their life, according to new research by the University of East Anglia (UEA).
Findings from two studies, published during National Adoption Week by UEA's Centre for Research on Children and Families, also suggest this helps adopted people to have a better sense of their own identity.
The theme for this year's National Adoption Week is about maintaining adopted children's relationships and identities.
Prof Elsbeth Neil, of UEA's School of Social Work and one of the study authors, said: "Adoption has often been seen as 'a fresh start' with a 'clean break' from the child's birth seen as necessary. But now new research with adopted adults demonstrates the problems this approach causes throughout the lifespan.
"Without information about their background and family of origin adopted people struggle with questions of identity, and many feel a sense of loss at losing significant relationships, or simply not having the chance to get to know parents, brothers, sisters or others in their birth family.
"Tens of thousands of adopted adults and their birth relatives have been affected by the lack of openness in adoption, but services to help them deal with the consequences of this need more priority."
Prof Neil added: "Adoptees need quicker and easier ways of accessing their adoption records and they need access to affordable support services to help them work through the emotional impact of adoption and to support them in the process of finding their birth family where this is desired.
"This research also has messages for children being adopted today, in particular that the system needs to do more to actually maintain children's relationships where they are safe and supportive, so they do not end up with these identity questions as adults."
The first study looks at how adoption agencies respond to requests from intermediary agencies to support reunions between adopted adults and their birth families.
Intermediary services support adopted adults to contact their birth family, and vice versa they can support birth parents to make contact with their child who was adopted.
