What are closed and open adoptions?
Closed adoptions are when the adoptive family and the birth parents have no identifying information at all and the child has no contact with the birth family after birth and/or placement. Open adoptions have widely varying degrees of openness to them. For example, some birth parents simply want to meet and know who the adoptive family is by viewing their profile. Others may want to have pictures of the baby annually, while even others may request update letters on the baby’s development and life. Others would like regular phone calls or annual visits with the adoptive family and the child. The level of openness is agreed upon among the birth parents, adoptive parents and agency prior to termination of parents rights.
A. A “closed” adoption is one that has no direct contact or exchange of information between the birthparents and the adoptive family. An “open” adoption is one where the names and identifying information of birthparents and adoptive families are disclosed to the other and there is direct contact between the two parties that generally continues after the birth and placement. The terms of the relationship are determined by the participants. Seldom is an adoption either fully “open” or fully “closed”; most fall somewhere between the two. Some involve limited contact, either in person or by phone, exchange of photographs following placement, etc. There is no “right” adoption plan that meets the needs of all birthparents and adoptive families.
