Should You Choose an Open, Semi-Open or Closed Adoption?

Deciding to add a child to your family through adoption is a life-changing choice that should only be made after honest, thoughtful consideration. However, choosing to go forward with an adoption is only the first of many important decisions that you’ll need to make. Another critical decision relates to the type of placement you will pursue. 

Georgia law allows for open, semi-open and closed adoptions. Understanding these different arrangements is key for both birth parents and prospective adoptive families as they look to find the solution that best fits their circumstances from among these options:

• Open adoption — An open adoption gives birth and adoptive parents the ability to maintain a relationship after a placement. Depending on the agreement between the parties, there might be in-person visits, phone calls, emails and shared photos. Open adoptions are beneficial in many cases because they allow the child to have a sense of identity and access to important family history, such as medical information. 
• Semi-open adoption — Prospective adoptive parents who want to maintain some connection with their child’s biological family, but are not interested in direct contact, might choose a semi-open adoption. In these arrangements, communication is typically conducted through the adoption agency or an attorney. Semi-open adoptions can also evolve over time, allowing for more communication as the child grows or as circumstances change.
• Closed adoption — In a closed adoption, there is no contact or exchange of information between the birth parents and the adoptive family once the placement is finalized. No identifying information regarding the biological family is provided to the parents who are seeking to adopt. All records are sealed, and there is no post-adoption communication between the parties. For previous generations, closed adoptions were more common, but today they are less frequent. Typically, records concerning one of these placements can only be unsealed by court order. 

Choosing the right type of adoption—whether it’s open, semi-open, or closed—is a deeply personal decision for both birth parents and adoptive families in Georgia. Each arrangement offers different levels of communication and involvement, and discussing the options with a knowledgeable attorney can help you decide which path to take. 

The Law Office of S. Mark Mitchell, LLC advises Georgia clients on adoption matters and represents them throughout the legal placement process. To make an appointment with an experienced lawyer. please call 470-344-8550 or contact me online. My office is in Newnan.