Overview

Engaging the birth father is important for many reasons. The birth father has the right to the same decision-making information as the pregnant woman and he is likely to be an influence on her decision. Additionally, if an adoption is completed, the birth father will experience loss and may find it helpful to talk about this with others, either in a professional or peer support setting. And, if the woman ultimately decides to parent the child, the birth father's involvement may be beneficial.

This course will use the documentary style video, Understanding the Birth Father Experience, which explores the feelings and life experiences of birth fathers after adoption. The videos feature five birth fathers – Daryl, Randy, Paul, Justin and "TJ" – who tell their adoption stories with candor, emotion, and perspective. The men were different ages when they became birth fathers, came from different backgrounds, and had different relationships with their children's birth mothers. Yet many similarities emerge from their stories, suggesting certain universal themes in the birth father experience. Throughout the video, these birth fathers describe feelings of grief and loss; talk about their hopes, fantasies, and fears about the children they relinquished; and confirm the lifelong impact of the adoption decision.

At the conclusion of this course, you will be able to:

1. Describe the significance of the birth father as a part of the adoption triad;
2. Describe at least one common feeling or reaction that birth fathers have when faced with an unintended pregnancy;
3. Identify at least one stage of a birth father’s grief process; and
4. Identify at least two strategies for supporting birth father involvement in the adoption process.