What Is Closed Adoption? Note These Things Now.
In one of my previous posts, I wrote a post comparing open vs closed adoption. But what is closed adoption or open adoption? What are the processes and why should you choose it over open adoption?
In this post, we will answer those questions. First, we will answer the question “what is closed adoption?”
What Is Closed Adoption?
Closed adoption is the type of adoption where the birth mother didn’t agree to have any communication with the adoptive parents after adoption for the reasons best known to her.
In a closed adoption, nothing like contact information will be shared between the adoptive parents and the birth parents.
And once the adoption process is concluded, everybody goes their separate ways without any hope to hear from each other forever.
Closed adoption is no more common these days, as all birth mothers never want to lose contact again with their children.
However, as part of your adoption plan, your adoption professional will request you to specify the level of communication you want.
Now that your question “what is closed adoption has been answered,” let’s look at the second question how do you go around closed adoption?
What Is Closed Adoption? Other Things To Note About Closed Adoption.
Advantage Of Closed Adoption:-
One of the peculiar advantages of closed adoption is that the parties involved in the adoption feel a sense of closure and finality.
This is because closed adoption does not allow the biological parents to have any contact with the adoptive family.
It also gives the adopting parents the confidence that they are free from the outside influence which would have come from the child’s family.
Also, the questions and confusion about who the child’s parents or family are may not arise because of the closure.
Closed adoption also gives a certain level of privacy to some birth mothers too and especially when they wish to go on with their lives as single, or pursue their career.
Only a few people choose closed adoption these days because every parent wants to know how their child is fairing anywhere they are adopted.
Disadvantages Of Closed Adoption:-
Some birth parents battle with so much regret after giving their child up for adoption, because they may never communicate with their child again in life.
That also means a big emotional struggle for the biological parent.
Secondly, although the adoptive families are provided with the basic medical history of the child, there may be a need in the future for other important information, which may be hard because of a lack of communication.
There may also be challenges in the future when the child asks questions concerning the biological parent, family, or genealogy.
How Do You Go Around Closed Adoption?
Locating The Interesting Birth Mother:-
Like I said earlier, closed adoption is not common these days and so if you choose a closed adoption, then your first step should be to find the birth family that has the same interest as you.
To locate birth families thaAnd are interested in a closed adoption, your first point of call should be the adoption agencies. Share your dream with an adoption specialist
The reason is that some interesting birth mothers will share their interests with agencies too, then your family adoption profile will be shown to her for examination.
The birth family who prefers to go through an independent agency also succeeds in giving her child up for adoption will succeed; the only problem is that it may be a little hard to maintain identifying information.
However, whichever way it happens, once the adoptive family meets the closed adoption willing birth family, closed adoption is achieved.
Find A Closed Adoption Agency:-
As an adoptive parent who prefers a closed adoption, you will need a closed adoption agency to help you in the process.
This section is to hint you at all you need to know about the agency and how to find a qualified closed adoption agency.
Most adoption agencies these days will require that the birth mother and adoptive mother have a level of openness. That’s why you must find an agency that will be ready to facilitate your adoption dreams.
Know that it will take a little while before you’ll be selected for the adoption opportunity.
When you finally get a closed adoption agency to work with, remember that the birth mother will still have to pick the best family for their child after seeing the adoption profile.
If you are strongly willing to go through a closed adoption, you may know that a foster care adoption agency or international adoption will work better for you. You can also get in touch with American Adoptions or Adoption With Love to help you.
Maintaining Limited Contacts Before Adoption(adoption agreements):-
Remember that no form of conversation or direct interaction should be between you and the birth mother/adoptive parents.
All the necessary interactions will be done through the adoption agency. Your adoption specialist is there to update you on the current happenings throughout the adoption process.
For example, if the birth mother’s delivery date is changed for any reason, your specialist will be the one to communicate with the birth mother’s specialist before it gets to you.
If it is an independent adoption, the mediator is also there to make sure there is no form of a conversation between the parties, instead, a private mail account will be created to make sure they have access even as they maintain the close nature of their relationship during adoption.
The custody of the baby will immediately be done once the birth mother consents to the adoption.
The Childs Birth And Transferring Of Custody:-
During the child’s birth, the birth mom through an adoption specialist will set up a Hospital adoption plan.
At the hospital, there may be a reason for the adoptive family to have a room in the hospital to access the baby after birth or see the baby in the guest room or nursery.
Maintaining Zero Contact After Adoption:-
No matter how closed adoption is, it is still necessary that both adoptive parents and the birth family still maintain a little contact with each other after the adoption.
This is necessary because the adoptive family may require some medical information about the baby in the future.
in an independent adoption, this can easily be done using the private mail account created earlier.
Closed adoption vs open adoption:-
The main difference between a closed adoption and open adoption is simply the level of information and amount of contact allowed among families.
Certainly, the choice between a closed and open adoption boils down to whether wish to build a relationship with the birth mother/ adoptive family and the child. Let’s check the pros and cons.
Pros Of A Closed Adoption:-
The pros of a closed adoption are that it is safer when you compare it with open adoption.
It helps both the adoptive and the birth families to maintain a level of privacy because both may not see or contact each other before and after the adoption process.
Closed adoption is good for the birth mother, especially when she wants to move on with her life without feeling guilty for giving her child up for adoption
For the adoptive parents, closed adoption gives them the privilege to begin their new family on a clean slate.
The adoptive family also remains protected and unknown, from a birth parent with a suspicious background.
The Cons Of Closed Adoption:-
We have considered the pros of closed adoption, but before you make your choice, let’s look at the cons of closed adoption too.
It can also create some feelings of emotional detachment and the need to get updates about your child in the future.
You will find it hard to get in touch with your child and the adopting family when you finally need a relationship after as closed adoption.
Your child will also be affected later when he/she starts asking questions about the biological parents. Also, a closed adoption can prevent you from getting the birth parents’ medical information when you need it.
Knowing these, it is left for you to decide whether to go on with open adoption, or closed adoption.
In Conclusion:-
I hope I have answered your question ” what is adoption? and other questions that you have in mind.
I also described the advantages and disadvantages of closed adoption and other important things you should know about closed adoption.
Make sure you read the post well and follow all I have said.