Open adoption is when there is open communication and interaction between the birth parents and the adoptive family. The birth parents may have regularly-scheduled visits with the child. Rather than a child being adopted and getting cut off from all contact between them and their birth parents, open adoption allows their relationship to continue in a healthy way. As adoption standards change over time, agencies are finding that open adoption is more beneficial than a closed adoption.
Allows the child to live in a better environment
One of the main reasons for a child to be adopted is to put them in a better environment with improved living conditions. While an open adoption allows a relationship between a child and their birth parents to continue, they will still be able to reap the benefits of living in a home that is better suited for them.
Access to family history and medical records
One of the problems with a closed adoption is that it can be difficult for adoptive parents to gain access to the child's family history and medical records. Many diseases are genetic, and it's important for the child's doctor to be aware of the child's family's medical history in order to know what diseases they are most prone to getting.
Less guilt for birth parents
Putting your child up for adoption is a very difficult choice to make. It is made a little easier when the birth parents know that they can still have a relationship with their child.
Makes birth parents more likely to accept adoption
There are many children out there who are living in poor conditions at home. One of the things that is stopping their parents from letting a more suitable family adopt them is the fear of losing them completely. With open adoption, the birth parents will be a little more willing to consider adoption than if they knew they would lose complete contact with their child.
Gives the child a sense of where they came from
Because an open adoption allows the child to maintain contact with their birth family, they will know their backstory and have an idea of where they came from. This will give them peace of mind and make the entire adoption process much easier on them. Rather than keeping the reasons for the adoption hidden, which leads to dangerous speculation in the child's mind, they will be privy to the information behind the adoption and why it was necessary.
Share9 January 2020
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