Institute for Adoption Information, Inc.: Journalist Guide

Institute for Adoption Information
A Journalist's Guide to Adoption

For Healthcare & Counseling Professionals

A
GUIDE TO
ADOPTION
By Journalists
For Journalists

Dear Journalist:

Adoption is increasingly being covered by the news media, whether it is the legislative battle to open adoption and birth records, the homecoming of a long-awaited child from overseas, the meeting of adoptees and their birth families, a custody battle, corrupt adoption practices, or an in-depth report on what makes a family. Despite the frequency with which these stories appear, adoption is little understood, and coverage often inadvertently perpetuates myths and stereotypes.

Adoption is now deeply embedded into the fabric of family life. Even so, Americans and those who encounter adoption in their work still harbor doubts about it, clinging to the stigma of a bygone era when adoption was the subject of secrecy and shame.

A Journalist's Guide to Adoption presents basic familiarity with numerous adoption issues so that you can provide more accurate coverage. The guide will:

Identify the subject matter;
Give a short briefing;
Provide links to the best resources and research;
Provide a list of reliable experts; and
Link to web sites for organizations working on a particular agenda.

This guide will help you:

Understand the adoption process.
Become acquainted with adoptees as well as their birth and adoptive families, who are known as the adoption triad;
Understand issues affecting the triad;
Provide balanced information that does not perpetuate myths and stereotypes;
Understand ethical adoption practices;
Encourage the use of more accurate, appropriate and respectful language;
Determine when adoption is germane to coverage;
Put adoptive and birth families in the context of the changing modern family;
Understand how adoption holds lessons for other non-traditional families especially for the million-plus children produced as a result of assisted reproduction and surrogacy; and
Recognize the social bias against adoption and why it is important to eliminate it.

Family relationships, including adoption, make for interesting copy, drama and gossip. Balanced, accurate depictions of those touched by adoption will add depth to these stories and create even better understanding of human family relationships.

Thank you,

Kathryn B. Creedy
Executive Director
Institute for Adoption Information

Go To A Journalist's Guide To Adoption

Acknowledgements

Questions or inquiries contact the Institue for Adoption Information at 802-442-2845 or email info@adoptioninformationinstitute.org

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