| Many women may feel they don't know very much about adoption or may know only what they see on TV or in magazines. In the past, women that made an adoption plan often never saw the child or knew what happened to their child.
Things are different now. During the 1990's, CHSFS made a commitment to the practice of open adoption. In open adoption, you meet, select and work cooperatively with the adoptive parents to plan for the child. We believe that openness benefits all members of the adoption triad: the child, the birthparents and the adoptive parents.
The Child True open adoption is based on the needs of the child. In open adoption children know who they are, where they came from and why a plan was made. This is an incredible gift to give a child, one that children in closed adoptions do not have. Children in open adoption know they are loved by their birthfamily, they have access to their medical and genetic history and they have the potential to develop an ongoing relationship with their birthparents.
The Birthparents Birthparents feel greater comfort and control selecting the adoptive parents, knowing that the child is loved and that they have found the family who will give their child what they were unable to. Because of openness, birthparents do not need to live in fear and shame. They can deal with their grief and loss in a healthy way.
The Adoptive Parents Adoptive parents benefit because they have the ability to answer their child's questions. Adoptive parents tell us that they are grateful to the birthparents and feel a sense of pride that they have been given permission to parent the child. Having information about the genetic and family history helps adoptive parents know fully who their child is.
Open adoption sees the child as a whole human being with a full history and a full future. It acknowledges that there can never be too many people to love a child. To learn more about the open adoption process, click here.
Browse books about Open Adoption on Amazon.com
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