At Adoption Makes Family our goal is to find a loving home for any child that is without a parent, or will be without a parent due to an unwanted pregnancy. We understand that it’s a difficult and emotional time for adoptive parents, which is why we offer various support options. Our counselors are here to help you through all the difficult decisions throughout the adoption process. One of the most difficult decisions is to decide between open adoption and closed adoption. In order to choose, let’s break down each of them.
Open Adoption
So what exactly is open adoption? Open adoption has various meanings to different people; however, there is one aspect that is absolutely undebatable: the adopted child can have connections with their birth parents if they wish to. An open adoption means that the birth mother, adopted child, and adoptive parents are all in contact with each other. From this point of the definition on, there is much debate over what an open adoption should enclose. Lawyers and various adoption agencies will tell you different reasons to be for or against open adoptions. In the end it’s the birth mother’s and the adoptive parents’ decisions. You will have to work through this with each other and decide which terms you want.
An open adoption can mean that the birth parents are invited to visit on all special occasions, events, and so on; however, it could also be what some refer to as “semi-open” in which it is an “open” adoption, but there are some limits on what the birth parents want to participate in. Some birth parents want long-distance contact through pictures and letters, but not in person. Other times, the adoptive parents and the birth parents want a “closed” adoption.
Closed Adoption
In some cases, the birth parents and the adoptive parents want a closed adoption. In a closed adoption, both the birth parents and the adoptive parents do not want any contact whatsoever. Many people assume that the adopted child will want to meet their biological parents, but that isn’t always the case. In many cases the child will not think twice about it because their adoptive parents are the ones who are there for them and that’s all that matters; however, this is not always the case. It all depends on the child and current situations.
In a closed adoption, the adopted child will have no connections and the adoption agency will be legally bound to deny access to any connections to their birth parents. The same goes for the adoptive parents. The adoptive parents and the adopted child can request a change in the adoption to be open, but the birth parents have to agree and then there has to be a legal review. If you want to change to an open adoption, it is possible, but it is also complicated.
Open Adoption vs. Closed Adoption
If you believe that somewhere down the line your child will want to be in contact with their birth parents, or you will want to be in contact with the birth parents, then consider open adoption. If you do not believe this and would like to be completely separated from the biological parents, then a closed adoption makes sense for you. Adoption Makes Family offers both closed and open adoptions.
Contact us and ask about how our open or closed adoptions work, or to discuss which option is best for you.