Open Adoption

What is an open adoption?

In an open adoption, birth and adoptive families meet, have knowledge of each other, and a commitment to ongoing contact. The degree of openness varies, but open adoption allows you to jointly form an adoption plan with adoptive parents that works for everyone involved. A child grows up secure in the love of his family, has answers to his questions, and knows his birth parents love him.

For those who choose an adoption plan, you will share with Sunny Ridge what you are looking for in an adoptive family, and our counselors will provide you with information about adoptive parents who are waiting to adopt. These families have all been studied and approved by Sunny Ridge as being eligible to adopt. You can see photos to learn more about them, their home, and their family.
You can meet the adoptive parents if you choose, and discuss your future relationship with them and the child. The amount of communication between birth parents and adoptive parents is mutually agreed upon. Adoptive parents often continue communication with the birth parents as the child grows and develops. Presents, pictures, and communication can be exchanged either directly or through Sunny Ridge.

Once chosen, the adoptive parents also agree to the match. Adoptive parents and birth parents have the opportunity for ongoing contact. Agreements regarding openness are not legally enforceable but are based on a relationship of trust. Healthy, open adoptions are founded on what is best for the child, with the birth parents supporting the adoptive parents in their parenting role, and the adoptive parents welcoming contact with the birth parents. With professional guidance, birth parents and adoptive parents agree on the frequency and type of contact that best suits their families. Some prefer a few photographs and letters, while others enjoy periodic visits or frequent communication via telephone, e-mail or texting.

Benefits to Birth parents:

• You know how your child is doing
• You meet and grow to care for the adoptive parents
  

Benefits to Adoptive Parents:

• Adoptive parents fulfill their dreams to parent
• Adoptive parents meet and grow to care for their child’s birth parents
• Adoptive parents receive their birth parents’ blessing as parents
  

Benefits to Child:

• The child grows up knowing about both the sorrow and joy that went into their adoption plan
• The child has more information about their biological parents, their nationality, their health history, and who they look like.
• The child knows about the love that both sets of parents have for them, rather than feeling abandoned, unwanted or rejected by the people who gave them life
• The child can more easily form a personal identity with information about their genetic origins.