Open adoption

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Open adoption is when the birth family and the adoptive family share information and stay in touch to varying degrees after the child is placed with the adoptive parents. The adoptive parents are the legal parents, but the birth and adoptive families can choose how much contact to have. This can be as simple as sending photos and letters, or it can include phone calls or in-person visits.

Historically, open-like arrangements have existed in some Asian cultures for centuries. In the United States, most adoptions used to be closed in the mid-20th century because of social pressures. Research in the 1970s suggested openness could be better for children, and by the 1990s many agencies offered it. Today, openness is common in many places.

How it works today:
- The birth mother often reviews profiles of hopeful adoptive families.
- Meetings are arranged in a calm, pressure-free setting; if far apart, contact may start by phone or video and move to in-person if things go well.
- Pre-birth openness is possible, and the birth mother may attend medical visits or even the delivery if she wishes.
- After the adoption, adoptive parents usually send photos and updates to the birth mother, often yearly or at special events; some families have more contact, including visits.

Legal and paperwork aspects:
- Many families sign a post-adoption agreement about future contact. Rules vary by state; some agreements are legally enforceable, others are simple promises.
- The birth father’s rights can affect the process; many states have procedures to involve or notify him.

Records and information:
- Most adoptions are sealed, but many states allow sharing non-identifying information (birth date, medical history, reasons for adoption).
- Identifying information (names and contact details) usually requires the person’s consent or a court order.
- At adulthood, many adoptees can access non-identifying information and, in many places, identifying information with consent or a court order. Rules vary by state.
- By recent years, openness has become the norm in many domestic infant adoptions.

Older children:
- If a child is older, keeping ties with the birth family can be important for the child’s well-being, and there are different paths depending on the situation.

Overall, open adoption aims to support a child’s sense of identity and family connections while allowing families to arrange the level of contact that works for everyone involved.