Benefits of Open Adoption
For the Birth Parents
- Sense of Control – Having the ability to review, interview, and select parents for your child can provide birth parents with a sense of empowerment, security, and control.
- Reduced Uncertainty – Most birth parents feel reassured and comforted from knowing about the child’s well-being through regular interactions with the adoptive family.
- Dealing with Grief – The ability to communicate with the adoptive family and the child often helps increase the ability of birth parents to deal with grief associated with the sense of loss.
- Reduced Fear – When there is regular communication with the adoptive family both prior to the birth and after the adoption, it tends to diminish concerns about the well-being of the child.
- Relationship with the Child – There is the potential to develop and maintain a mutually beneficial relationship with the child as he or she matures.
- Reduced Guilt – With an on-going relationship and the opportunity for regular communication with the adoptive family, birth parents often have less of a struggle with guild about their decision to place their child.
For the Adoptive Parents
- Reduced Fear – When there is on-going communication with the birth families prior to the birth of the child and after the adoption, there tends to be less concern about the birthmother’s intentions.
- Medically Informed – The need to provide a medical history is a normal requirement in the adoption process. However, open adoption offers the additional opportunity to obtain new medical information over the course of time.
- Ability to Answer – With on-going communication with the birth family, there are no unanswered questions, and if there are they can call or write to ask.
- Affirmation – Adoptive Families often experience an extra measure of encouragement from knowing that they were picked to become the adoptive family.
For the Adopted Child
- Identity and Self-Confidence – Open adoption provides children with greater opportunity to learn about their family history and family trees. The adopted child will never question where they came from in an open adoption.
- Protection Against a Sense of Abandonment – Having the opportunity to communicate with their birth family to hear the reasons for the adoption can help limit or reduce the adopted child’s sense of abandonment.
- Medically Informed – A medical history is a normal requirement of the adoption process. However, open adoption offers the additional opportunity to obtain up-to-date medical information if new medical symptoms appear in adulthood or a need develops for further information relevant to future family planning.
- Relationship with the Birth Family – Open adoption can offer the adopted child the opportunity to develop a relationship with their birthmother or birthfather.
- Access to Biological Siblings – The adopted child in an open adoption can create lifelong relationships and friendships with biological siblings, if there are any.
- Support Network – Since birth families normally continue to have a deep concern for the adoptive child, they can effectively function as advocates and additional support for the child.
If open adoption sounds like it may be a good option for you and your baby, visit “What Happens If I Place My Child For Adoption?” to learn more about the adoption process in detail.