Cummings aimed to shed light on the implications of changing a child's name during the adoption process. He gathered feedback from child welfare staff and interviewed an adult who was adopted.   

One significant finding was a lack of preparedness among child welfare staff to discuss name changes. Ninety-five percent of staff responded that they received no training in this area. This mirrored the experience of the adult adopted person, who reported a need for more communication about their name change. The absence of adequate staff training and communication exacerbates the challenges faced by young people undergoing name changes, potentially affecting their sense of self and cultural ties. This project highlights the need to examine routine decisions in the child welfare system, such as name changes, and their lasting impact on the lives of children. 

To address these findings, Cummings is designing a practical checklist for child welfare and adoption agency staff. This tool is intended to guide conversations with adoptive parents and children about the possibility of changing a child's name, providing a structured approach to addressing the current communication gap.