Abstract

Virtually all literature about birth parents of adopted children has focused on mothers. In this pioneering study, Gary Clapton gives us a fresh perspective: he recounts the experiences of thirty birth fathers separated from their children at birth.

Discussing different notions of fatherhood, such as biological paternity, social fatherhood, sperm donorship and the `father figure', this informative book - the first on birth fathers in adoption - brings new light to issues such as the decision to give up a child for adoption, the child's desire to find his or her birth parents, and the facilitation of contact in later life.

Written in an accessible style with insights into adoption and social work practice past and present, Birth Fathers and their Adoption Experiences offers a vital new perspective on understanding the causes and consequences of adoption, and makes positive suggestions for working with those whom it affects.

Birth Fathers and their Adoption Experiences by Gary Clapton, recounts the experiences of thirty young men, mainly teenagers, whose children were adopted from birth. What is striking is that, decades on, the events of that period continue to resonate for these men in a way that lends a passion and deep emotional quality to their accounts.

This is a book that should be read not only by workers in adoption and fostering but also by those who work in teenage pregnancy - and by anyone who believes, deep down, that men who are not involved with their children are likely to be indifferent to them'.

Fatherhood Institute E-newsletter
Gary Clapton's study is a welcome addition to the research on adoption. It is likely to be of most interest to practitioners and should be read by all those with responsibility for establishing the new post-adoption services.
Adoption & Fostering
This book is for practitioners as much as for policy makers and future researchers. Clarity of style and writing by Gary Clapton has ensured... An accessible, thought-provoking and compassionate read.
Community Care
Gary Clapton is a post-adoption counsellor with Birthlink in Edinburgh and a training officer with City of Edinburgh Council Social Work Department.
Just as research has reminded us of the continuance of birth mother's bonds with their children, Gary clapton's research reveals that birth fathers can also feel a deep connection with, and loss of, an adopted child. This book is based on Clapton's in-depth interviews with 30 men who had experienced the adoption of their child as a baby, and it is unique in the UK in addressing the experiences of this group... It will be of interest to practitioners and academics in the social work field, those interested in fathering and to birth fathers themselves.
Child & Family Social Work