Open or Closed Adoption in Kansas
Families considering adoption have a lot of big decisions to make. One of the biggest choices you’ll need to consider is whether you’ll opt for open vs. closed adoption in Kansas.
While most modern adoptions are open adoptions, this wasn’t always the case. In fact, many adoptions of the past were closed adoptions, which means that many adoptees were unable to connect with their birth parents as they got older.
Open adoptions have many benefits when it comes to the mental health and well-being of the adoptees. One of the biggest reasons to consider open adoption is that adoptees will be able to ask questions and build meaningful relationships with their birth families.
If you’re ready to start the adoption process, reach out to American Adoptions now by calling 1-800-ADOPTION. You can also keep reading to learn more about the open and closed adoption definition in Kansas.
Open vs. Closed Adoption: What You Need to Know
As you consider open vs. closed adoption in Kansas, it’s important to understand the difference between these two adoption types.
Open adoption is the most common type of adoption. This type of adoption encourages adoptive parents, birth parents and adoptees to communicate and keep in touch throughout the child’s life.
Open adoption looks different for each family and may include:
- Writing letters
- Sending emails
- Texting
- Phone calls
- Video chatting
- In-person visits
- And more
This type of adoption can be especially helpful for adoptees who may feel confused about their adoption. It’s normal for adoptees to want to know where they came from or why they were placed for adoption. With an open adoption, they won’t have to worry – they can ask!
Closed adoptions are no longer as popular as they once were. Many adoptions in the past were closed, which means that adoptees were unable to contact their birth parents when they were older. While most modern adoptions are now open adoptions, some birth mothers still prefer to choose closed adoption. Birth mothers who feel a closed adoption would be best for themselves moving forward are allowed to make that decision.
As you consider the difference between closed and open adoption in Kansas, it’s important to remember that with a closed adoption, no personal information is shared.
One of the biggest benefits of choosing open adoption is that your relationship has the flexibility to evolve over time. With closed adoption, there will never be a chance to develop more communication as the child grows up.
Who Decides What Type of Adoption You’ll Have?
When it comes to open adoption vs. closed adoption in Kansas, you may have an idea of what will work best for your family. That’s great! You can let your adoption specialist know which type of adoption you would prefer; however, keep in mind that most adoption professionals strongly encourage open adoption.
Open adoption tends to offer the most benefits for everyone involved, especially for the adoptee.
With open adoption, adoptees don’t have to wonder why they were placed for adoption. They’ll have the chance to talk with their birth parents and get to know their birth family as they grow up.
Keep in mind that when it comes to open vs. closed adoption in Kansas, the birth mother will have the final say in the type of adoption.
What You Should Know About Open Adoption
As you plan for your adoption and begin to consider open vs. closed adoption in Kansas, you may have some questions about what an open adoption actually looks like – and what families have to say about it.
One adoptive mom, Kaitlyn, reflects on her child’s open adoption by saying, “We came to the conclusion that it takes a village to raise a child, and in our case, our child was just going to have two moms and two dads,” Katelyn says. “I don’t think now that there should be any reason why he can’t love both of us in different capacities — both me and his birth mom.”
An adoptive father, Mike, was nervous about the idea of open adoption. He changed his mind. “Now that we’ve gone through the adoption, one of the biggest things I could tell parents that are looking to adopt is to be open because you don’t know what to expect,” Mike says. “You’d be surprised that it will probably end up being a lot better than you thought it would be.”
One of the most important things to keep in mind as you research the difference between closed and open adoption in Kansas is that each family’s adoption experience is unique and looks different.
Some birth mothers may want to touch base and talk to the adoptive family once a year, while others may want to check in more frequently. The most important thing is to focus on making sure that the child has the best experience possible growing up with their open adoption and that they have the chance to get to know everyone involved.
Getting Started
If you have more questions about open adoption vs. closed adoption in Kansas or if you’re ready to start the adoption process, it’s time to reach out to an adoption professional who can help you.
Here at American Adoptions, we’d love the chance to guide you through the adoption process.
You can reach our team day or night by calling 1-800-ADOPTION.
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