Adoption [“Annahme an Kindesstatt”] was first legally regulated (in Germany) in 1900. In this way it was made possible for the childless to pass on property and their name, explains Inge Elsäßer in her introductory contribution. It was not until 1977 that the view of the child as a “substitute solution” changed, when a major reform to adoption law put the wellbeing of the child at the heart of the adoption process. Ever since then, specialized expert services have taken care of the children, the biological parents, and the potential adoptive parents.
On 22 May 2014, the Bundestag passed a law that permits civil partners to apply for successive adoption. Nina Dethloff explains and comments on this ruling.
The further authors contributing to this FORUM illustrate the developments leading up to this point and the many psychosocial aspects, interests and problems surrounding the complex issue of adoptions: Jörg Reinhardt writes about the legal aspects of adoption placements and the law governing confidential births. Adoption from the perspective of the child and the child-centred approach for adoptions are addressed by Jörg Maywald’s article, which also deals with “international adoptions”. The two authors Gabriel/Keller introduce surprising results from a Swiss adoption study regarding the psychosocial development of adopted children. Claudia Krell discusses the adoptive process when a child has been given up anonymously and how significantly this circumstance affects all the participants. Margit Grohmann introduces the Hessian pilot project “Aktion Moses” by the Catholic women’s charity Sozialdienst katholischer Frauen e. V. Frankfurt, which is designed as an anonymous crisis line as well as an advice and support service. One evaluation focuses on the motives and circumstances of the mothers giving up their children.
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