A closed adoption is an adoption in which the adoptive family and the birth family don't have contact with each other. In most cases, neither family has any knowledge of the other family, including the names. While this type of adoption has some disadvantages, such as limited medical history information on the biological family, it also has advantages that must be considered.
Stability
The adoptive parents can provide stability for the child with a closed adoption. Unlike an open adoption, there isn't any communication with the birth family during a closed adoption. This provides stability for the child, as she is only expected to follow a single set of rules, instead of having to follow rules of the adoptive family and rules of the birth family as she would have to do in an open adoption. Because the child doesn't know her birth parents, the chance of the birth parents rejecting the child or disappointing the child isn't there, which adds to the stability.
Lack of Confusion
The American Pregnancy Association reports that children of an open adoption may feel confused about the family unit composition. However, in a closed adoption, this confusion isn't present. Additionally, the child won't have to explain the out of the ordinary family composition to friends.
Understanding
In a closed adoption, it is up to the adoptive parents to decide when to tell the child he is adopted. This makes it possible for the parents to ensure that the child is ready and able to understand the concept of adoption. Some adoptive parents tell the child he is adopted from the start, and it is a concept that he grows up with. Other adoptive parents wait until the child is older and they can help him understand what the adoption means.
Privacy
A child's privacy is protected during a closed adoption. Because the birth certificate is changed to show only the adoptive parents' names, the child doesn't have to offer explanations to school officials or others about her parents. Additionally, the adoptive parents get to name the child, so the birth parents will be unable to try to track the child down until the child and/or the adoptive parents register with an adoption registry in which they can find each other.
