Open Adoption is Best for Adoptees

Closed adoption vs. open adoption? Prospective adoptive parents and expectant parents considering placement generally have open adoption questions. Many wonder if open adoption is good or bad. While open adoption experiences vary, adoptee Jessenia Arias outlines the ways open adoption benefits all members of the adoption triad.

Over the years many have argued if open adoption is a good option for all members of the adoption triad. Today, over 80% of infant adoptions are open adoptions (Independent Adoption Center). It has become the norm in adoptions in America.

Open adoption has removed the shame, embarrassment, and guilt from birth mothers and adoptees. Adoptees no longer have to feel as if they are “secrets.” Or that they are defective in some form biologically and psychologically because their birth mother placed them for adoption. With no information about their birthparents, many adopted children believed that they were just thrown away or were given away because they were ‘bad’ or ugly (Independent Adoption Center).

Open adoption provides adoptees what they rightfully deserve just like any other human being:

A clearer sense of identity.

Medical and social history.

Having his/her birth parents and siblings (if any) a part of his/her life.

An explanation as to why he/she was placed for adoption.

The understanding that they are loved by ther birth family.

The ability to ask questions and have answers about his/her adoption.

Increase of supportive adults and family.

No need to search and avoiding the possibility of loss or rejection.

Open adoption provides adoptive parents:

The ability to answer questions about his or her child’s origins.

A feeling of acceptance about being chosen and trusted by the child’s birth parents.

Access to medical records for preventive medical care or in case of a serious illness.

The ability to answer your child’s questions about his/her adoption and ease their fears, troubles, and doubts.

Prevent psychological maladjustment.

The elimination of fear that the adopted child will run away to find their birth family in hopes to find answers about their history and origins.

Open adoption provides birth mothers:

Reduced guilt about placing their child for adoption.

The ability to select the birth parents and have a relationship with them.

Sense of comfort and peace knowing of the child’s well being through visits, photos, phone calls, emails, texts, and letters.

The ability to have a positive ongoing relationship with the child.

The ability to answer the child’s questions about their adoption or family heritage.

Although there are risks and complications at times, there are also many benefits and rewards that adoptive families will experience over time. Families affected by adoption can work together for a positive and successful outcome for the most important person in the adoption triad, the child. Honesty and openness are some of the most important factors in adoption. Open adoption provides this for adoptees and increases the odds of the child thriving in the home, in relationships, with peers and academically by feeling loved and secure.