Cirrus@Austlit

'All I’ve ever wanted is the deep sense of belonging associated with knowing and being connected with who and where I’ve come from.

'Penny Zagarelou-Mackieson always knew she was adopted. But she didn’t know she was swapped at birth.

'After a lifetime grappling with issues of identity and belonging, outlined in her earlier book Adoption Deception, Penny discovered that her natural mother, according to her adoption records, is genetically unrelated to her. Penny’s family reunion of two decades was based on falsehoods. Her ancestry is Greek, not Celtic-Anglo as she was led to believe.

'So begins Penny’s new quest to learn about her origins. She confronts a shocking legacy of babies misidentified in the heyday of Australia’s forced and closed adoptions and appalling medical record-keeping – meaning many adoptees may never know their true origins.

'Penny’s quest leads her to court seeking legal recognition of her true identity, involving her ‘de-adoption’ – termination of the Adoption Order imposed on her in infancy.

'This remarkable story of one woman’s determination to uncover the truth and restore her dignity reveals human rights violations inherent in adoption. Penny questions continuing laws and practices that cement stigmatising secrecy and harm adopted people, arguing for wide-reaching reforms.' (Publication summary)

'What is it like to be adopted, have your identity changed and never feel quite at home in your new family, despite being loved? What is it like to become a social worker and be faced with the challenges and consequences of other adoptions every day? What is it like to hear the moving National Apology for Forced Adoptions by Prime Minister Julia Gillard in 2013 only to be faced a few months later by a new prime minister intent on forgetting all the lessons learnt and championing a deregulated parent-centred market-driven adoption industry? Penny Mackieson takes us on her journey with the unique perspective of both an adopted person and a professional who worked in intercountry adoption for over a decade. She unravels the complexities, debunks the myths, analyses the policies and raises important questions about the ethical and human rights dilemmas in adoption. Adoption Deception: A personal and professional journeyis a passionate, heart-wrenching and unflinchingly honest account of one womans life as an adopted person and her campaign for change.The author presents a compelling argument for Permanent Care instead of adoption for vulnerable children unable to be raised by their families in the light of continuing issues of exploitation, identity loss and the priority given to adults wishes over childrens rights.' (Publication summary)