Semi Vs. Open Adoption

OPEN ADOPTION

• The expectant parents meet potential adoptive families before making their selection.
• The birth and adoptive families fully disclose identifying information (names and addresses) at the appropriate time.
• There may be ongoing contact, such as: attending the birth of the child, attending physician visits together, visiting the home, gathering as extended family members during special occasions, etc.
• There is direct correspondence between the families.
• The families contact each other directly by telephone.
• There are face-to-face meetings during the child's lifetime.

SEMI-OPEN ADOPTION

• The expectant parents choose a family from written, non-identifying profiles.
• An adoption agency or third party mediates the contact between the parties before and after the birth.
• Birthparents and adoptive parents know each other only by their first names.
• Adoptive parents may be present at the birth and may have met the birthparents before the birth.
• All correspondence is sent through the adoption agency or third party.
• Post-placement meetings are arranged and supervised by the mediator.
• Adoptive parents often share the child's pictures and letters with the birthparents, but may also include gifts, videotapes, etc.

( In some cases there isconfidential adoption but those cases are very rare present day..most birth families want to know at least something about the adoptive family or how there birth child is doing)

Hello All...some friends had some questions about the different levels of adoption contact between adoptive parents and birth parents so i got some descriptions off of some sites to help with that question. This is also a prayer request...we are not too far from having to "kind of" commit to what route we want to take before we start meeting birth families. We have the right to decide how comfortable we feel with contact...but so does the birth family and there are no set rules for you have to follow this exact plan. SOOO....we could use your prayers....we have really been praying about it but still hard to make a plan for something "unkown" and do not not know the situation yet,ect. Any other questions let us know!