At a meeting of PAPEO (Private Adoption Practitioners of Eastern Ontario) at Centrepointe Libary in Ottawa, Carol presented excerpts from her book and the issue “The Right of Adoptees to Know Their Origins” to my former colleagues. Carol presented a paper at Brock University on “The Right of Adoptees to Know Their Origins” at the National Joint Social Work Conference held within the larger Congress of Social Sciences and the Humanities. She stated her conviction that the right of adopted persons surpasses all other adoption issues in importance. Tracing the history of open adoption records in other countries, in Canada, and specifically in Ontario, Carol lauded the tireless efforts of the Coalition of Adoption Records which resulted in the passing of The Access to Adoption Records Act in 2009. While it is a modified Bill with contact and disclosure vetoes, Canada is heading in the right direction with respect to open adoption records in all provinces and territories.
Carol was guest lecturer on the wide-ranging topic of “Adoption” at the Foundations of Structural Social Work class at Carleton School of Social Work. She described the three main parties in adoption; she defined closed and open adoption and the transition over the decades from one to the other. To illustrate the material, Carol read passages from her book. After the 7 core issues of adoption were presented, the class members formed small groups to discuss these issues. Carol spoke of Birth Mother's Day service in Ottawa, the only event of its kind in North America, which honours women who have given children into adoption. She described the adoption process in Ontario for would-be adoptive parents, noting that it is lengthy, thorough and emotionally challenging. There are three ways to adopt: domestically either through a public child welfare agency or through the private adoption system or internationally. Carol concluded with her strongly-held conviction that the right of adopted persons to know their origins surpasses all other adoption issues in importance.
Carol and her daughter Elaine appeared on a panel on Saturday, 16 November, 2013, sponsored by Carleton University and the Ottawa Adoption Community. The National Film Board film, “A Place Between: The Story of an Adoption” was shown, followed by an informal panel discussion moderated by Dr. Karen March.
The film depicts First Nations adoptees struggling to bridge the gap between birth and adoptive families and illustrates issues between a birth mother and an adoptive mother. Those living inside the adoption circle - adoptees, adoptive parents, birth parents, their relatives - their friends, adoption professionals and educators, Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals attended. |
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AuthorCarol Bowyer Shipley brings a unique perspective to the world of adoption as an adoptee, an adoptive mother and an adoption professional. As adoption practitioner and birth parent counsellor, she worked for 25 years in the private adoption system and public child welfare agencies in Ontario with adoptees, birth parents and adoptive parents. Recently retired, she lives in Ottawa, Canada, with her husband, Ken. Her four children, their spouses, and seven grandchildren constantly enrich her life. This is the updated edition of her first book, published in 2013. Archives
July 2016
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