Open Adoption Versus Closed Adoption

Most birth parents and adopting families are confused about what really constitutes an open child adoption and a closed child adoption.

In a closed child adoption, birth parents and adopting families are anonymous. While many details may be shared, no identifying information (such as last name, addresses, social security numbers, etc.) is exchanged. The birth parents and adopting family can meet, share pictures and updates, and have ongoing contact through the adoption agency, but they do not share last names and addresses.

In an open child adoption, biological and adopting parents exchange identifying information and are then able, if they so choose, to be in contact with one another directly.

Simply stated, an open child adoption is when the family and birth parents know last names, addresses, and phone numbers. A closed child adoption is when that identifying information is not exchanged. It is that simple. It has nothing to do with whether the birth mother and birth father get pictures, meet the family, get updates, or see the family on an ongoing basis. You can have a closed child adoption and still meet the birth mother or birth father and you can provide pictures and updates, but you will not know the birth parent’s last names or how to contact them. So the real issue for you in an open or closed child adoption is what type of contact you want with the birth mother and/or birth father and what type of contact you want them to have with you.

Whether a child adoption is open or closed will depend on what you want, what your state allows, and what child adoption agency you select. With some adoption agencies, they will not give you a choice. The child adoption agency will tell you what you must choose. With other adoption agencies you can choose whether you want an open or closed child adoption.

Rest assured, however, that with either an open child adoption or a closed child adoption, you can probably exchange as much or as little information as you would wish. This can be handled by the adoption agency.

Closed child adoption and open child adoption considerations: Open child adoption is one of several options available to families, ranging from confidential, to semi-open (or mediated), to fully open child adoption. In semi-open or mediated child adoption, contact between birth and adoptive families is made through a mediator (e.g., the child adoption agency caseworker or attorney) rather than directly. In a confidential child adoption no contact takes place and no identifying information is exchanged. This is such an important issue that even the Federal government has made recommendations.

The following has been adapted from the Child Welfare Information Gateway 2003 fact-sheet entitled: Openness in Adoption: A Fact Sheet for Families

What is an open child adoption?

An open, or fully disclosed, child adoption allows adoptive parents, and often the adopted child, to interact directly with birth parents. Family members interact in ways that feel most comfortable to them. Communication may include letters, e-mails, telephone calls, or visits. The frequency of contact is negotiated and can range from every few years to several times a month or more. Contact often changes as a child grows and has more questions about his or her adoption or as families' needs change. It is important to note that even in an open adoption, the legal relationship between a birth parent and child is severed. The adoptive parents are the legal parents of an adopted child.

The goals of open child adoption are:

To minimize the child's loss of relationships. To maintain and celebrate the adopted child's connections with all the important people in his or her life. To allow the child to resolve losses with truth, rather than the fantasy adopted children often create when no information or contact with their birth family is available. Is open child adoption right for our family?

Open child adoption is just one of several openness child adoption options available to families, ranging from confidential, to semi-open (or mediated), to fully open adoption. In a semi-open or mediated child adoption, contact between birth and adoptive families is made through a mediator (e.g., an agency caseworker or attorney) rather than directly. In a confidential child adoption no contact takes place and no identifying information is exchanged.

Making an open child adoption work requires flexibility and a commitment to ongoing relationships, despite their ups and downs. While this type of child adoption is not right for every family, open child adoption can work well if everyone wants it and if there is good communication, flexibility, commitment to the process, respect for all parties involved, and commitment to the child's needs above all.