A Act of Love Adoptions will provide counselors to assist you with the important question regarding contact during and after your adoption. Do you prefer a closed adoption, an open adoption or a semi-open adoption? The decision you make will determine the contact during and after your adoption with the adoptive family. Through counseling with an adoption professional such as A Act of Love Adoptions, you will be able to determine the best type of contact for you.
Open Adoptions
Open adoptions provide open communications between the birth parents and the adoptive parents. Often, an open adoption provides the opportunity for both parties to enjoy the pregnancy and the birth, as well as begin to form a lasting relationship. An open adoption can allow for the sharing of information; including social history, available medical records and other information provided by the birth parents. One of the advantages an open adoption provides is allowing the birth parents to personally know the child’s adoptive parents and to gain a comfort level with the home their baby will have.
With open adoptions, the birth parents can have regular updates such as letters and pictures and/or emails. There may also be opportunities to have direct contact with the child through visits and phone calls. This exchange of updates is usually done with an adoption professional such as A Act of Love Adoptions or can be done directly between the birth parents and adoptive family. The extent of communication between birth parents and the adoptive couple is usually requested by the birth parent and then accepted by the adoptive couple.
An open adoption provides the child with the opportunity to know his or her birth family and exchange information. It will also help the adopted child to understand more about his or her adoption and birth family. The child will have the opportunity to ask questions and receive the answers.
Semi-Open Adoptions
Semi-Open Adoptions are fairly common at A Act of Love Adoptions. This type of communication provides the birth parents regular updates through letters and photos. A Act of Love Adoptions assists with the communications between the birth parents and adoptive family. The communications are given to A Act of Love Adoptions and then sent on to the other party. The information provided in a semi-open adoption will be limited to non-identifying information, such as first names and the states where the adoptive parents live.
Counselors at A Act of Love Adoptions will help birth parents create a plan for exchanging information with the adoptive family. Through counseling, birth parents are able to decide when and how often they would like to request communications with the adoptive family. Birth parents may also choose to send their letters and pictures through A Act of Love Adoptions.
Closed Adoptions
With this type of adoption, there is no communication or contact between birth parents and the adoptive parents. Paperwork and key information (such as health and family history) are handled through an adoption professional, such as A Act of Love Adoptions. A birth parent can choose from profiles of prospective adoptive families but the information is non-identifying. Typically, the information given will provide the characteristics and the qualities of the adoptive family that can help the birth parent decide on which family to choose. Some birth parents would like the adoption professional to choose the adoptive family by the information provided by the birth parent.
There are those who feel getting updates and maintaining communication is too painful and would prefer to not receive information after the adoption. The counselors at A Act of Love Adoptions will assist birth parents in their decision of whether a closed adoption is the best plan for them.
If you change your mind
There is no right way or wrong way when it comes to your openness plan. The right way for you is what you feel in your heart is best for you! A Act of Love Adoptions also has a plan where you can request pictures and letters to stay in your file until you decide the time is right for you to receive them. At that time, you can call and request the information to be sent to you.
It will be helpful to work closely with your adoption professional or counselor. A Act of Love Adoptions can assist you with any changes in your choice of openness in your adoption and can assist you in discussing the level of contact you desire with your adoptive family.
It is important to work with adoption professionals that understand your needs and give you the freedom to decide on the type of adoption plan that works for you. A Act of Love Adoptions understands the importance of educating birth parents about the pros and cons of the different levels of openness in adoptions. A Act of Love Adoptions will ensure that this vital part of the adoption plan is discussed and accepted by the adoptive family.
Remember, you have the choice. Your situation is unique and only you can decide what level of openness is best for you, the adoptive parents, and most importantly, your child. A Act of Love Adoptions will also help you choose an adoptive family that prefers the same level of contact. With A Act of Love Adoptions, you will receive help and counseling from adoption professionals, as you make this key decision.
One thing to remember
Each state has different laws regarding open adoption agreements. As you discuss your adoption plan with professionals and prospective adoptive families, you may want to explore what the laws are in the states involved.