Have your say in our Adoption Survey

Dear Supporter,
 
Aitheantas - Adoptee Identity Rights has been committed to pushing for reform of legislation to allow Adoptees access to their own information. We have built momentum, we have led the way with our groundbreaking petition and supporting council motions to continue to push for reform. 
 
In Ireland, Adoption and the acknowledgement of Adoptees rights to their own information is lagging behind other jurisdictions.
 
While Aitheantas was happy to assist the Department of Children and Youth Affairs by participating in the Open policy debate into the introduction of open adoption, the issues regarding historical adoptions remain unchanged and as they have been for decades.
 
The time has come to reform this outdated system. Aitheantas has kept this issue on the political agenda and we will keep demanding reform and advocate for Adoptees Rights.
 
Therefore, we are delighted to announce that in conjunction with Uplift, Aitheantas are undertaking a comprehensive, independent survey of Adoptees views. 
 
For the last number of decades, issues regarding Adoption have been focused on, or reacting to, past events. This survey will be a litmus as to the current view of Adoptees and their families regarding preferred terms, views and outlooks.  
 
The questions have been selected by our group on areas that it was felt greater clarification or Adoptee feedback was required.
 
The query on ‘Independent Archive’ relates to a proposed amendment to the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016 which suggests that ‘The State shall establish an Independent Archive, to retain Adoption records...and to make the administrative and other anonymised records available to researchers and members of the public.’
 
We feel that it is also of vital importance that both the partners and children of Adoptees are included in our survey as both are often the unsung heros of traces, our staunchest supporters and advocates, they are also affected by the fall out from adoption.  
 
The survey is open to all Adoptees, children of Adoptees and partners of Adoptees. Thereby, allowing both Adoptees and those affected by adoption an opportunity, at last, to give their opinions and to have their voices and experiences heard. 
 
We hope that you will participate in this anonymous survey and share our link with others who are Adopted or are directly affected by Adoption. 
 
This survey will be of be immense benefit to the Adoptee community as a whole, and will be an accurate reflection of the current views of Adoptees and their families as regards matters that affect and impact on them directly.
 
Please keep sharing our petition which has grown considerably over the last number of months. 
 
Only by demanding reform and making our voices heard can we affect change. 
 
Please add your voice, your opinion and your views to our survey - make your voice heard, we are listening. Please click here to complete the survey. 

Maree and the team at Aitheantas