Many questions come into your mind when you are considering an adoption. One that you have to think about at the very beginning of the process is what type of adoption you want to pursue. You have two options — open or closed.
These two adoption types have some very important points that you have to consider carefully. Here are a few of the points you should think about.
Closed adoption
A closed adoption is the type that was used almost exclusively in the past. This is the type of adoption in which the birth parents aren’t aware of who adopted the child and the adoptive parents aren’t aware of who the birth parents are. The process is largely anonymous.
There is very limited information exchanged in this type of adoption. Typically, the adoptive parents receive a medical questionnaire that the birth parents filled out regarding medical history. Some other information, such as education and non-identifying demographic information, might also be provided.
While closed adoptions aren’t common in the United States any longer, adults who are trying to adopt from overseas will usually find that this type of adoption is very prevalent.
Open adoption
Open adoptions are the most common adoption type in the United States now. In these adoptions, the birth parents and the adoptive parents have contact. This has a lot of benefits for everyone involved, but there are also some drawbacks.
The birth parents are usually available to answer medical questions if the need arises. The birth parents also get to have contact with the child. This contact is agreed upon by the adoptive parents and the birth parents and can take many forms. Some birth parents might call or email the child, while others get to have in-person visits.
Adoptive parents will usually follow the agreement about contact the birth parents can have with the child. If things turn sour, the adoptive parents can alter the agreement or stop contact altogether. There is no recourse if the adoptive parents decide to terminate contact with the birth parents.
It is important that you take your personal needs into account as you go through the adoption process. You also have to make sure that you keep your interests protected and that you fully understand the options at each step in the adoption process. This helps to ensure that you are working through the process in a way that will get you the adoption that you desire.
