Openness in Adoption

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When you make an adoption plan, you can select the type of adoption that fits your needs. The three types of adoption are Open, Semi-Open, and Closed.

The majority of adoptions facilitated by New Life Adoptions are open adoptions. Research shows many benefits to having some level of openness in the relationship – benefits to you, to the adoptive parents, and especially to the child. During the adoption process, we will help you think through your options for openness and come up with a plan that works for you. You will be matched with adoptive families who are interested in the same type of adoption. New Life Adoptions encourages both the birth parents and adoptive parents to put their openness plan in writing through a cooperative or contact agreement.

Open Adoption
In an open adoption, identifying information is shared between the birth family and adoptive family and you will maintain some level of contact with the child and the adoptive family throughout your lifetime. Openness in adoption also includes varying degrees of communication with the adoptive family after placement. This can range from texts or phone calls to in-person visits.

Semi-Open Adoption
Similar to open adoption, semi-open adoptions have some communication typically limited to letters, emails, and phone calls, that may or may not include in-person visits.

Closed Adoption
In a closed adoption, no identifying information is shared between parties and there is no contact between the birth family and adoptive family after placement. Any communication of critical information, such as updates to medical history, would be mediated by New Life Adoptions.

Changes to Openness

Open adoption relationships grow and change over time, just like every relationship in life. Our post adoption services are available to assist you throughout this lifelong journey by offering resources, information, support, and mediation when needed.

I loved this couple so much, and I knew placing my daughter with them would make them so happy. They are people I want to have in my life. I chose an open adoption so it wasn’t like I was going to give her away and never see her again.

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