Among experts who study it and families who practice it, open adoption varies widely. Here’s a look at open adoption today.
A Durable Relationship with Your Child’s Birth Parents
Over the years, an open adoption arrangement may need to evolve to accommodate the changing needs of everyone involved — above all, the child.
Ask AF: Reappearance of a Birth Child
Answers to your parenting questions.
Ask AF: When to Share Birth Parent Information
Answers to your parenting questions.
Deciding to Adopt: What About Birth Families?
“We cannot build healthy relationships with our children on secrecy and lies—and this includes lies of omission.”
Ask AF: News of a Birth Parent’s Death
Answers to your parenting questions.
Birth Fathers’ Rights: A Legal Guide
Your child’s birth father is an important part of your child’s adoption story, and has legal rights in relation to the adoption.
Adopting from the United States
Basic facts about domestic adoption.
Supporting Your Child Through Grief
Our children rely on us to guide them through saying goodbye.
Ask AF: When a Teen Wants to Know Both Birth Parents
Q: My 14-year-old knows her birth mother, but her birth father never wanted to be a part of her life, and is currently incarcerated. She wrote him a letter several months ago and didn’t get a response, and has been struggling with this. Her older brother has good relationships with both of his birth parents, which I believe makes it harder for her.
Open Adoption: A Reference Guide for Families
Openness brings great benefits to all involved, as well as some unique dilemmas. Addressing them requires flexibility, sensitivity to the birth family, and confidence in yourself as parents. Here’s how to make it work for your family.
View the Open Adoption Webinar Replay
View the replay of a webinar with Lori Holden to learn about open adoption and hear answers to commonly asked questions from adoptive parents.
AF Asks: Tell Us About the First Moment With Your Child’s Birth Mother
Our Reader Panel responds.
What is a Birth Father Registry?
After a few highly publicized cases where birth fathers contested adoptions, some states are taking a stand.
Birth Fathers’ Legal Rights in Adoption
Our legal expert explains birth father rights for alleged and presumed fathers, and what prospective adoptive parents need to consider.
“Unexpectedly in Sync”
My daughter formed a swift, intense bond with her four birth sisters. The surprising love I felt for them blindsided me, but now it makes perfect sense.
Birth Father Legal Rights, Explained
Our legal expert explains what you need to know about birth father legal rights.
Searching for Birth Families
Parents who look for their child’s birth family abroad are ushering in a new openness in international adoption. Many say the decision to search requires careful thought.
Ask AF: Reaching Out to the Birth Father
How can we increase the openness of our relationship with our son’s birth father?
Ask AF: Tough Birth Father Info
Answers to your parenting questions.