There were two pointed criticisms about the survey. I'll share the first today and the second tomorrow.

The first was from an adult adoptee currently in reunion. She first shared her concerns with me in the forum where I posted a request for survey respondents and I asked her to please fill out the survey and share them there so they would be part of the official record.

She wrote, in part:

"This survey seems to be all about adoptive parents and their views/emotions. In my view, that is one of the greatest challenges to building an honest and open adoptive system."

While I do feel the survey did an adequate job of addressing the views/emotions of both first and adoptive parents, I think she has a valid point that it did not do such a good job of addressing the views/emotions of adoptees. This pointed out to me a need for OpenAdoptionSupport.com to do more to bring adoptees into our discussions. My challenges here are these:

• Widespread openness in adoption is relatively new so there are fewer adult adoptees who have experienced openness than those who grew up in closed situations;
• While there are similarities between reunion and openness, they are not the same. OpenAdoptionSupport.com does share some reunion resources but the focus is on people navigating open relationships;
• I am unsure if there is another way to serve adoptees in open adoptions who are minors other than serving their parents.

I am open and interested in discussing this with the community. What else could this site do to help support adoptees living with openness? How can we do a better job of helping our kids?