There are three adoption plans to choose from. The amount of contact you want with your child and their adoptive family determines which plan you choose. Today, 90-95% of adoptions are either open or semi-open. A semi-open adoption gives you contact while keeping your privacy. Could this be the right plan for you?
How Does a Semi-Open Adoption Work?
A semi-open adoption is also known as a mediated plan. The biological parents and the adoptive parents have contact with one another, but the adoption coordinator handles all communication. Contact involves emails, photos and letters, and phone calls or personal visits.
The adoption agency you select acts as a third party. You send your letter or email first to your trusted coordinator. They, in turn, forward it to the other party. They can also arrange phone calls and personal visits, which they often attend with you.
If you wish to remain anonymous but have contact with your child and their family, a semi-open adoption is best. The only identifying information you might exchange is your first name.
Why Would I Choose a Semi-Open Adoption?
Adoption is a challenging choice. A birth mother wants to know her child is safe and loved, but often, she feels very vulnerable and needs privacy. The adoptive parents want time to establish their new family but feel the need to connect out of love for their birth mother. A semi-open adoption is the best of both worlds.
What are the Other Adoption Plans?
Closed
If you wish to remain completely private, choose a closed or confidential adoption. With a closed adoption, the birth mother doesn’t select the adoptive parents. Neither party has information about the other, and the courts seal the original birth certificate.
Open
When the birth parents and the adoptive parents exchange identifying information such as full names, addresses, phone numbers, etc., it is called an open adoption. Both parties can contact the other as agreed upon. No one supervises personal visits or coordinates phone calls.
How Can A Gift of Hope Adoptions Help Me?
How to handle your unexpected pregnancy is a big decision. It’s essential to us that you learn about the entire adoption process before you make a choice. By contacting us, you aren’t committing to place your child for adoption. It takes time to determine what’s best for you and your baby. We’re a safe place to talk about your situation and this option.
We never coerce or attempt to manipulate you into choosing adoption. Making an adoption plan is your decision and yours alone. Even if you have already given birth, there is always time to make an adoption plan.
Contact us and let us know what questions we can answer. Fill out our confidential online contact form or call us at 1-888-564-HOPE (4673). We’re here for you.
This blog is for informational purposes only. This is not legal or medical advice. While we try our best to reflect current laws with accuracy at the time of writing, please note the laws can change over time.