Domestic Program :: Open/Closed Adoptions

With New Life’s Domestic Program you will have the opportunity to let us know if you would prefer an open or closed adoption. Yet, birth parents are certainly taking a more active role in the adoption, typically they determine if the adoption will be open or closed. If you have a very strong desire regarding the adoption arrangements, your profile will not be shared with birth parents who have expressly stated that their wishes do not agreement with yours. If you are willing to consider either an open, closed or work with the birth parents to be explore non-traditional adoption arrangements, the New Life team along with your social worker will be there to help you consider the options available. Finally, once you have been selected as adoptive parents the ultimate decision regarding the adoption arrangements will be made between you and the birth parents.

There are many, many variations regarding either open and closed adoptions. Our team has even seen birth parents and adoptive parents decide upon adoption arrangements that have characteristics of both open and closed adoptions. New Life has observed that the available options for adoption arrangements are truly a direct result of all parties’ willingness to come to a mutual agreement. Here are only a few examples of the various options available to both birth families and adoptive families:

• Open Adoption
  When all parties involved, the birth family and adoptive family, exchange parenting expectations and even establish some form of visitation for the birth family with the child. Potentially there is direct contact between the birth family and the adoptive family in a neutral setting.
• Semi or Partially Open Adoption
  When all parties involved exchange identified information about themselves; including pictures and background information. Between them they agree that the adoptive parents will send New Life letters to be forwarded to the birth parents every six (6) months along with pictures of the child for the first two (2) years followed by once a year until the child is five (5) years of age. In this situation there is never direct contact between the birth family and the adoptive family.
• Closed Adoption
  A closed adoption can have a range of options. Typically, information is exchanged between attorneys and it is de-identified (the identity of the parties and their location is not disclosed) and final arrangements may include the adoptive parents sending letters and photographs for a specified timeframe. In most cases, the letters and photographs are sent directly to an attorney, upon the birth family’s request they will be passed along. Another option for a closed adoption would be absolutely no contact between the birth family and adoptive family.

Remember these are not recommendations for adoption arrangements; instead they are examples of acceptable and creative adoption arrangements that have worked effectively for other families. Your social worker and our professional team will help you thoroughly explore the options that may work best for you and your family.

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