Truths About Adoption: Open Adoptions Edition

The “Basics” of Open Adoption
There are varying degrees of open adoption. In the most general sense, “open adoption” simply means that the Birth Mother and the Adoptive Parents know one another. It may also mean that they have agreed to exchange emails, phone calls and perhaps in-person visits until the child turns 18. No two adoptions look the same.

You + Adoptive Parents + Adoption Professional
When considering an open adoption, it’s important to talk it through with your adoption professional. They can present different considerations tailored to your situation. If you would like an open adoption, it’s important to have a conversation about it with the adoptive parents and an adoption professional.

The Importance of PACA
Be careful here, though. Just because Adoptive Parents say they want an “open adoption,” doesn’t necessarily mean they desire ongoing contact with you. To ensure that everyone is on the same page, we recommend that a “Post-Adoption Contact Agreement” (sometimes referred to as a “PACA”) be drafted. This document would contain the specific terms governing contact and would be drafted by a legal professional, reviewed with your attorney and signed by both the Adoptive Parents and the Birth Mother. Some states regard these agreements as legally enforceable, but many do not.

An open adoption is a type of relationship, complete with ebbs and flows, changing over time. It’s a weighty decision to make, but there’s no doubt that with the proper consideration and counsel, you’ll know whether an open adoption is right for you.

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