Why can some adult adoptees obtain their original birth certificates while others cannot? Explore the history of sealed adoption records, the legal arguments surrounding privacy and identity, and the different approaches states take to providing access to personal birth records.

Does permanency require adoption? This nationwide investigation examines adoption and legal guardianship, including judicial oversight, original birth certificates, inheritance, parental rights and the opportunity to choose adoption as an adult. We separate documented legal protections from common claims and explore why state laws matter.

Is it true that 36 families are waiting for every infant available for adoption? Investigate the origins of this widely repeated statistic, examine federal adoption data and discover why demand for infant adoption is not the same thing as the number of children who need permanent families.

Are children more likely to experience abuse in biological, foster or adoptive families? Examine federal child maltreatment statistics, research on abuse in out-of-home care and the methodological problems that complicate comparisons between different caregiving environments.

Does adoption cause trauma? The American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes adoption-related loss as a form of trauma, but what does that mean for lifelong psychological outcomes? Examine clinical guidance, developmental research and the important distinction between experiencing trauma and experiencing lifelong harm.

What happens when young people leave foster care without permanent family connections or stable housing? Explore original research on homelessness, extended foster care and federal housing assistance, including what the evidence establishes and what remains unanswered.

How much money changes hands during an adoption, and where does it go? Examine adoption fees, nonprofit financial records, government funding and the regulations intended to prevent financial exploitation. Discover what the available evidence establishes and what remains unanswered.

Between 1945 and 1973, thousands of unmarried American women experienced social and institutional pressure surrounding pregnancy and adoption. Examine historical records, adoption statistics and firsthand testimony to explore what meaningful consent looked like during the Baby Scoop Era.

Georgia Tann's adoption operation affected thousands of American families. Explore the historical evidence behind her influence on modern adoption, the financial misconduct uncovered by investigators, and the institutional failures that allowed her operation to continue.

Open adoption agreements can carry important promises, but are those promises legally enforceable? Explore how state laws address post-adoption contact and what legal recognition does and doesn't guarantee.