BAAF Health Group Conference 2008--a Child's Family Health Legacy (Health Notes) (British Association for Adoption and Fostering‪)‬

Obtaining a full family health history for children separated from their birth families poses dilemmas relating to genetic testing and information-sharing. Hence, the theme of this year's Health Group conference in October was the 'ethical dilemmas in promoting health for children separated from their genetic roots'. The meeting was attended by more than 100 delegates, almost 80 of whom were doctors or medical advisers, plus ten nurses and ten social workers or other related professionals. Dr Catherine Hill, Chair of the Health Group and Consultant Paediatrician in Southampton, opened proceedings with a presentation entitled 'Parenting in the dark'. This reported on a questionnaire-based study she had undertaken designed to elicit the views of adopters on what the family health history of their child meant to them and their child. Dr Hill's paper contained some fascinating evidence from families who had adopted between 1987 and 2008. Few had received counselling from a medical adviser and adopters felt that they lacked information about the health history of their child's birth family, especially relating to birth fathers. This left families uncertain about how to interpret their child's behaviours and had caused late diagnosis of medical problems. More information about parental personality and behaviour would have helped adopters better understand their child. In those cases where there had been continued contact with birth families, it had been helpful in understanding the child's difficulties.