Six percent of Romanian adoptive parents rule out ever telling their children that they were adopted, according to a recent study issued by the Romanian Adoptions Office (ORA). The study also revealed that families in rural areas are more open to talk to their adopted children about their adoption, compared to families living in the cities.

The study issued by ORA was carried out in partnership with UNICEF and the Sociology Faculty within the Bucharest University, and focused on communication strategies among adoptive parents and adopted children.

Despite the majority of the interviewed adopting parents thinking their children should eventually learn of their adoption, the study showed that only 69 percent of the children included in the sample had found out that they were adopted. The reasons for not telling their children they were adopted include fear of the child's reaction to the news, as well as believing the child is too young to understand. Those who think their children are too young to understand have kids between 6 and 10.

On average, parents think they should tell their children about the adoption at around seven, but in reality most adopted children find this out at four to five years old.

The study 's sample was of 516 adopted children and their adoptive parents. In most cases – 85 percent – parents tell the children about the adoption, but in 1 percent of the cases, children found out they were adopted from grandparents, while 3 percent figured it out themselves.

Recent data from the Romanian Adoptions Office shows that in 2011, 678 children were given up for adoption, out of a total of 1,700 children who were deemed adoptable by the agency. The average age of children for whom adoption was approved in 2012 was of three years and three months. As of March 2013, the Adoptions Office has 25 ongoing international adoption requests.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Romanian Adoptions Agency)