I was informed about this survey concerning post-adoption support for families in open adoptions, well, last week. But, as life happens to do, things got hectic. That's why I need you to quickly read this post and then head over and take the survey.

The best part of the survey is the first question. You can select through "what eyes" you are viewing and, as such, answering the questions. Adoptee, adoptive parent, birth parent, birth family members and adoptive family members are all given options to select. That's a wide range of people and it's great to see them all included!

One question that I feel is important to ask is number nine. It asks about the challenges that you (speaking for yourself, not the other parties) have experienced in your open adoption relationship. It includes everything from jealousy to financing visits to three spots left open to write in your own unique challenges. Questions like these that give voice to problems are important. Not because we need to focus on the negativity but because we need to know what to work on to help ourselves and others.

To be fair and balanced, an option to select on almost every question is, "I don't have contact." Those answers help, TOO. Why? Because when we know things like that, in combination with other answers, we can see why some of that might be true. For example, one of the final questions asked is whether or not the agency helped prepare you for the open adoption relationship. You could see the correlation there, no?

The results of the survey will help Open Adoption Support. They will be released on April 7th. So, go take that survey now so that everything falls in line in time. Your voice is important. Your experience, however unique or the same, is important. Do not hesitate to share. Whether you have lived the negative example or the positive one, you can help others by sharing. Speak up. It's worth it.

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For more on surveys and adoption, read some of these posts.



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