A typical open adoption means that the biological parents
are permitted to have some type of contact with the adopted
child.
This can be accomplished many different ways. By phone is
the easiest way but sometimes e-mail, letters, or even
personal visits might be an option.
This contact doesn’t always mean both sets of parents will
ever meet each other in person. Many times the adoption
agency or other organization will receive pictures and
updates from the adoptive parents and forward them to the
biological parents.
Obviously, having the adoptive parents spend time with the
biological parents might be an uncomfortable ordeal for
everyone.
Before the adoption takes place, all types of contact as
well as specific dates for visits or phone calls are
arranged.
This schedule and set of rules is very important to the
biological parents who have agreed to the open adoption. By
not getting pictures when expected or missing phone calls,
it can be very emotionally stressful.
By using the adoption agency as a middle man, it saves a
lot of emotional stress for everyone involved. The agency
acts as a mediator so the adoptive parents don’t have to
deal with the biological parents directly.
Open adoptions could be as little as a name exchange before
adoption up to full contact by the biological family so you
need to make sure everyone agrees on the terms beforehand.
It is much easier for adoptive parents to really feel the
child is there own if there is minimal interference from
the biological parents but sometimes it just isn’t an
option.
