What exactly is an open adoption?

Question

does that mean your child could be taken back from you. or the birth parents have rights to the child if they want them?

Answer 1

It's where the birth parents get to see their child whenever they want to and the child gets to see it's parternal grandparents if the grandparents want to see their grandchild.

Answer 2

It is when a birth mother or birth parents choose you to adopted their baby

Answer 3

nonono, it means that you work out a contract when the birth parents are able to see the child. i think it is the best way.

Answer 4

Its just where adoptive parents stay in contact with the birthparents. It could just be sending a few photos and updates a year. There are some where the birthparents may visit the child on holidays, birthdays etc.  No the birthparents cant take the children back unless they do so in their window of opportunity, it varies I think in the States its 6 months to 9months sometimes even up to a year. From what I have read Open Adoptions well if the adoptive parents want to cease contact with the birthparents they certainly can. Say their family decides to move abroad or even to a different state. Nothing the birth parents can do about.

Answer 5

Open adoption is when a birth parent is able to see the child (depending on what agreement is made with the adoptive family) and the child is able to know about the birth parents before the age of 18 ( all depends on how adoptive family feels). After an adoption is finalized the birth parent legally has no parental rights to the child.

-in Canada there is only a 10 day period to change your mind.

Also even if there is an agreement made with the adoptive family they legally do not have to follow the agreement.

Answer 6

No, not at all. It simply means that the birth parents have a relationship with the child, if they want. It varies on the people, but the birth and adoptive parents agree to the level of openness before the adoption takes place. Some open adoptions only share pictures and some letters while others visit each other for vacations, email, talk on the phone and such.

For the adoptive parents, it allows for them to ask questions about family history (medical and other) of the birth parents and know them personally. For the birth parents, it allows them to see that their child is healthy, happy and well-loved. (And see themselves come through in the child.)

It is also great for the child because they know what happened. They can ask questions and know that their birth parents gave them up because they wanted their child to have a better life than they could provide and they love them very much. The child knows that they have twice as big of a family as most kids. It is a way to reinforce how much they are loved.

I view it as teamwork. The adoptive parents are the child's parents. The birth parents are relatives, sort of like an aunt or uncle, who will always be there for support, but do not have any parental rights to the child. Those rights were given up when the papers were signed.

There are lots of books that talk about the differences between adoption and open adoption. It is best to do lots of research both as an adoptive parent and a birth parent to pick what is best for you personally. If choosing open adoption, everyone should meet a couple times and get to know each other before the baby is born. You are adding onto your family and will want someone you can see yourself hanging out with even if there wasn't a child because you don't want any bad blood between the birth and adoptive parents. You want to create the best environment for the child as possible because the child is the most important thing in this entire situation.

Let me know if you have more questions. :)

Answer 7

I gave my daughter up for adoption a little over 7 years ago, and it was an open adoption.  There are several different degrees of openness that are up to both the birth parents and adoptive parents as far as what they are all comfortable with.  They usually include the birth parents being able to meet and interview the adoptive parents,  the birth parents being able to know certain information on the candidates before deciding (like religion, jobs, family care plans, hobbies, etc.), and some sort of contact post adoption.  The contact can vary, from no contact but the file still being open so that if the child wants to find his or her birth parents they can, to contact through the agency or lawyer who arranged the adoption, to the birth parents being able to visit with the family.  Once papers are signed the adoption is extremely hard, if not impossible, to be rescinded.

As far as what happened in my case, I met with the adoptive parents, talked with them and I get annual pictures and updates from the agency.  I have also been able to send my daughter things through the agency.  It is a decision I am very happy with and never regret.

Answer 8

We are in an open adoption with our children's birthmother.  It's wide open, meaning that she knows our full names, our phone numbers, and she's even been to our house.

Before we chose adoption, I didn't know if I could handle an open adoption or not.  Then, our agency required us to take adoption classes.  Open adoption was discussed in depth and I realized that it is such a great thing to give our children.  Actually, I then became afraid that we would be matched with a birthmother that would not want an open adoption.

Our children see their birthmother on a regular basis and I speak with her on the phone often.  They will never have to wonder about who their birthmother is or why she chose to place them for adoption - she is going to be able to tell them all of that herself.  They will never have to wonder what her laugh sounds like or how her arms feel when she wraps them around them in a hug.

I absolutely could not have a closed or semi-open adoption with their birthmother.  I held her hand as she labored and gave birth to two children which she gave to us and I could not imagine never speaking with her again or not knowing where she is and how her life is going.  She is like family to us and I never feel threatened or jealous by her presence in our lives.

Answer 9

An "open" adoption is where the biological parent receives some type of communication/updates/pictures either direct from the adoptive parents or through the agency.  Some people choose to allow the adoptive parent to continue to see the child - but you don't have to.  We agreed to allow our son's biological grandparents in his life as we actually adopted him from them and they were truly wonderful to us through the entire process.  It has worked for us, but may not work for everyone.

You also asked if the biological parents can take the child back.  NO!  The biological parents do have a time period in which they can change their mind, but it is not months.  Usually it is a few days from the time they terminate their parental rights.  In the state of NJ, a bio parent has (I think it is) 3 days when a newborn baby is born.  However, our son was adopted at 6 months, and because of his age, the paperwork was irrevocable as soon as they signed it.  This is dependent on the state, but most states are becoming more protective of adoptive families (thankfully).  

Another important thing to note is that while many adoption agencies promote "open" adoption as a way to encourage more birthmothers to create an adoption plan rather than proceed with abortion, you would want to check with the agency to see what they consider "open" adoption - some may just require a yearly letter & picture that goes through the agency.  It is also interesting to note that many states will not enforce an "open" adoption plan if the adoptive parents choose not to continue sending the information.  

Good luck to you.

Answer 10

No, openness does not in any way change the legalities of adoption...the birth parents have no parental rights once they have been terminated. Also, the revocation period (time where mother can change her mind about relinquishment) in most states is less than a week, some have no time to change their mind at all, certainly not 6mos to a year anywhere in the US.

There are various levels, you might want to consider reading the following link http://www.openadoptioninsight.org/what_...

Answer 11

Open adoption is where the birth parents and adoptive parents keep in touch. The birth parents have right to having pictures, letters, and visits with your children, the ones that they gave up. No they can not take them back (however with most adoptions there is a 6 month period where they can) all of that would be outlined in the adoption papers.

Answer 12

You dont necessarily have to keep in touch, but it does allow the adoptive parents, and more importantly, the child, access to information about the birth mother.

So, for example, Amy was adopted.  At 18, she decided she wanted to find her birth mother.  The agency that dealt with the adoption would have a file that they would allow Amy to access.  The birth mother would have signed away her rights to anonymity.  Amy should be have enough information to find her mother if she chooses.

Not all open adoptions include the birth mother in the childs life, or the adopted family.

Good Luck to you.

Answer 13

Open adoption as I understand it is when the birth parents are allowed to see the child they gave up.  I don't believe that the child can be taken from you or that the birth parents have any more rights to the child than any one else would have other than the "parents".

I may be wrong, for peace of mind check with an adoption attorney for solid answers.