Most of the magic behind private adoption happens before the process even begins. Both adoptive parents and birth parents spend a considerable amount of time and energy contemplating the decision to move forward. As you begin your own adoption journey, it’s helpful to know what kind of adoption you hope to pursue. While each story is different, most private adoptions fall into one of two categories.

Understanding the Difference Between Closed & Open Adoption

Closed Adoption

Closed adoptions are less common today than they have been in the past, but some adoptive parents and birth parents still find that it is the best option for them. A closed adoption allows birth parents to maintain their privacy throughout the process and after the child is placed. Adoptive parents do not receive personal contact information from the birth parents and they do not share photos or updates with them throughout the child’s life. Most birth parents seeking a closed adoption seek privacy, but many also choose the option to maintain an emotional distance from the adoption, allowing them to process the event at their own pace. If a closed adoption is chosen, the child will not be able to locate the birth parent when they come of age without the birth mother’s express consent.

Open Adoption

While a closed adoption “closes the door” on contact between the two parties, open adoptions leave it wide open. This type comes in many forms. Throughout the adoption process, even before the child is born, the birth parents and adoptive parents in an open adoption may meet several times to get to know each other. They will likely exchange email addresses or even telephone numbers.

After the child is born, the adoptive couple will send monthly or yearly updates, sometimes including photographs. As the child grows older, some open adoptions allow for visits between the birth parent and the child. The amount of contact between the two parties differs from case to case, and sometimes an open adoption arrangement may change over the course of the child’s life. If an open adoption is chosen, the child will have a much easier time locating their birth parent(s) later in life.

Semi-Open

Sometimes, neither extreme meets the needs of the families involved. Working with a private adoption agency allows you to customize your arrangement, allowing for some features of an open adoption, like updates and photos, and not others, such as personal information. Though the choice between open and closed adoption is a personal one, discussing your options with an adoption professional may allow you to envision each scenario more clearly. Because every adoption is different, having the freedom to customize your experience will likely result in a better fit for everyone involved.

Private Adoption Services, based in the heart of Cincinnati, OH, is a licensed adoption agency serving families across the country. If you are an expectant mother in the tri-state area looking for a caring, compassionate private adoption organization that prioritizes the health and well-being of mother and child as well as finding the ideal family situation moving forward, call their office today at (513) 871-5777 to schedule an appointment. For additional information on the process and to learn more about the in-state or out-of-state process for adoptive parents, visit their website.