When people consider adopting domestically for an infant, one of their first concerns surrounds the Birthparents. I have heard many people in my Adoption Support Group state that they do not want to “co-parent” with anyone besides their spouse or partner. People also don’t want to be committed to sending letters and pictures and maybe even have phone calls or visits with the Birthparents. People researching adoption hear the term “open adoption” and assume this openness is just so the Birthparents can be an intrusive part of the adoptive family’s life.
Open Adoption” is actually used to describe a wide spectrum of sharing identifying information between the Birthparents and the adoptive parents. On one end of the spectrum is when everyone knows each other’s first names and that is it. They may never meet each other. The other end of the “open adoption” spectrum is when there is little to no information hidden between everyone. The Birthparents could be present for family functions, call the adoptive family directly and are informed of everything that happens in the child’s life. (more…)
