Closed Adoption Vs. Open Adoption: Pros and Cons

Depending on the family, an open or closed adoption is best for you. Keep a few things in mind. As an older foster child, it is rare to have a complete closed adoption; closed adoptions are more common among infants. Depending on a foster child’s situation one or the other may be a better choice for them. It is important to think of the child’s best interest while making these decisions. Open adoption “rules” vary by state and are also set and negotiated by the parents. This means you may have an open adoption that is anywhere from a “cracked window” to a “fully open window”.

These pros and cons are not limited to the following and are not true for all families. They are directed toward all people factors of the adoption: birth parents, parents, and child. This list is just to give a general idea of pros and cons for closed/open adoption and to educate followers on the “inside scoop” of adoption at AFFEC.

Pros and Cons of a CLOSED adoption:

PROS

• The adoptive family looks and operates like any other family.     
• The adoptive family has no responsibility to put together information for the birthmother.
• There is no potential for conflict between the birth family and adoptive family throughout the adoptee’s childhood because there is no relationship.
• The birth parents have no obligations toward the child. (This can be a benefit depending on the birthparents’ wants)
•       If taken out of a dangerous living situation, there may be a benefit of cutting ties with people considered to be “unsafe” for the child. (This is not true for all families)
  
  

CONS

• The adoptive family does not have any information about the birth family, such as medical history or why the child was placed for adoption.
•  The birth family is a big mystery to the child, so the child might create their own distorted fantasy about who they are. The child might imagine that they are wealthy and famous, or the child might assume that they are really horrible people, when neither of these extremes is likely to be the truth.
•  Due to lack of information, the child may draw their own conclusions about why they were placed for adoption. Some children may feel unwanted by the birth parents which can cause identity and self-esteem issues.
•  If the child chooses to search, the adoptive family has no idea what to expect, creating anxiety about who the birth family might turn out to be.
• Finding the birth family can be difficult.
•    The birth mother has no idea if the child is happy, safe, and loved.
• The birth mother has no way to reassure herself about placing the child up for adoption because she has no information on how the child is doing.