Open adoption is a legal adoption in which arrangements are made for the birth parents and the child to continue to have a relationship, despite the fact that another family retains legal guardianship. While this type of arrangement is not for everyone, it is an important consideration for the child and the parents involved. Research is difficult in this area, as "no two adoptions are alike," according to the Child Welfare Information Gateway. Even so, it is important to consider what the potential effects could be for your family---positive and negative---before making the decision as to whether an open adoption is the right choice for you.
Confidence in Familial Love
One of the issues that many adopted children deal with is the feeling of rejection. Many children who find out they are adopted or grow up with this knowledge deal with feelings of rejection due to a lack of understanding as to why their birth parents gave them up in the first place. In an open adoption, a child would have access to the birth parents, so they wouldn't have to live having to wonder why. Contrary to what many believe, children in open adoptions have been shown to have a clear understanding of the roles of their birth and adoptive parents.
Better Grief Resolution for Birth Parents
One of the many myths regarding open adoption is that continued contact between birth parents and adopted children lengthens the grief process and makes it difficult to let go. This is not the case. "Birth mothers in open and ongoing mediated adoptions do not have more problems with grief resolution," says the Child Welfare Information Gateway page on "Openness in Adoption." "Indeed, they show better grief resolution than those in closed adoption." Birth parents who may have difficulty with completely letting go and want to maintain some relationship with the child may find open adoption to be the best solution for them.
Potential Disruption
In instances of open adoption in which expectations or boundaries are not made clear, there is a potential for a negative disruption of the child's life, which can lead to confusion and a lack of stability. In open adoptions it is important to have terms in writing, so that both parties are clear as to their role and their expectations. This way, everyone knows what is expected of them as well as what they can expect, making it easier to ensure that everything is done with the best interests of the child in mind.
