Open adoption

Open Adoption

Open adoption is a form of adoption where the biological and adoptive families have access to varying degrees of each other's personal information and have an option of contact. In Open Adoption, the adoptive parents hold all the rights as the legal parents, yet the individuals of the biological and adoptive families may exercise the option to open the contact in varying forms: from just sending mail and/or photos, to face-to-face visits between birth and adoptive families.

History

The practice of open adoption has been encouraged since the late 20th century, in response to research findings that ongoing contact with the birth family can be beneficial for all involved parties. Prior to this, the identity of the birth parents, and the fact that the child was adopted, were often kept secret from the child.

Types of Open Adoption

There are several types of open adoption, including fully open and semi-open. In a fully open adoption, the birth parents and adoptive parents meet and share identifying information. In a semi-open adoption, non-identifying information is shared through an intermediary.

Benefits and Challenges

Open adoption can have benefits for the child, the adoptive parents, and the birth parents. However, it can also present challenges, such as managing the relationship between the adoptive and birth parents, and dealing with potential confusion or emotional issues for the child.

See Also

• Closed adoption
• Adoption
• Foster care
• Adoption in the United States
• International adoption

External Links

• Child Welfare Information Gateway
• Adoption Institute

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