If you are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and you are considering adoption, know that adoption is truly a choice. It is completely up to the birth parents to decide whether to place their child for adoption or to parent the child. No one can persuade you against your will to surrender your parental rights. No person (family member, friend, lawyer, judge, social worker, doctor, employer, etc.) can force or coerce a birth parent into placing their child for adoption. New York state adoption law has many protections in place to prevent a forced adoption. At Family Connections, Inc., our core belief and philosophy is that every person has the right to self-determine (to make their own choices without influence or pressure.) Any adoption plan is made solely by the birth parent and is a voluntary act.
Birth parents have many choices when making an adoption plan for their child. Every birth parent has the right to choose the type of adoption they wish for themselves and their child. They have many choices and options, they may choose a confidential adoption, a semi-open adoption or an open adoption. They also have the option to chose the adoptive family they wish to place their child with. Click here to view families waiting to adopt through Family Connections.
An adoption agency can help birth parents explore their choices and make informed decisions regarding their adoption plans.
Types of Adoption:
- Open Adoption
- Each open adoption situation is unique and the relationship that comes to be depends on the birth parent(s), the adoptive parents and the child.
- The level of openness depends on the wishes of the birth family.
- An open adoption can involve a face to face meeting between the birth family and the adoptive family, and may include sharing identifying information between the birth and adoptive families.
- Open adoption can mean the development of a relationship between the birth family and the adoptive family before the birth of the child
- Pictures, letters and visits can be shared throughout the child’s childhood, maintaining a relationship between the adoptive family and birth family.
- There are many possibilities when planning an open adoption and the decisions are up to the birth family.
- Semi-Open Adoption:
- In a semi-open adoption the birth family and adoptive family agree upon what identifying information is shared.
- They may agree to only share first names, or the name of the town they live in.
- Birth parent and adoptive parent information is held in confidence by the adoption agency.
- The birth family may choose to pick a family from profiles or from meetings with prospective adoptive families.
- A relationship may or may not develop between the birth family and adoptive family before the birth of the child based on the wishes of the birth family.
- The type of post adoption contact is determined by the birth family, (e.g. pictures/letters regarding the child’s growth.)
- Post adoption contact is maintained through a third party such as an adoption agency.
- The degree of openness is determined by the wishes of the birth parent.
- Confidential Adoption:
- This can also be called a closed adoption.
- The identity of the birth parents and adoptive parents is held in strict confidence.
- The adoptive parents will not know the identity of the birth parents and the birth parents will not know the identity of the adoptive parents.
- The birth parents can specify the characteristics of the adoptive family they want for their child
- The birth parent makes the choice to select the adoptive family from profiles and/or meet the adoptive family. If the birth parent decides not to choose the adoptive family, a family will be chosen by the agency based on the criteria of the birth parent.
- This type of adoption guards the identity of the birth mother, birth father, child and adoptive parents.
The birth parents can specify the characteristics of the adoptive family that are important to them. They can specify a religion, the type of family (two parent, single parent, childless couple, stay-at-home mom, etc.), education level of the adoptive parents, financial status of the family, racial composition of the family, and many other characteristics the birth parents feel are important. Once the agency understands the wishes of the birth parent they will review their waiting families to see who meets the criteria set by the birth parents. The agency will then show profiles of the families wishing to be considered to the birth parents. Click Here to review mini-profiles of waiting families with Family Connections, Inc. After reviewing these profiles the birth family can then either chose a family or to meet with a family. The decision is entirely up to the birth family.
Adoption is a choice and there are many options within adoption. An adoption agency, such as Family Connections, Inc., can provide birth families with the information and support they need as they consider all of their adoption options. You can click the link below to receive information about your adoption options.
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