Open, Semi-Open, and Closed Adoptions

San Jose Adoption Lawyer

Open, Semi-Open, and Closed Adoptions

If you have been considering expanding your family by adopting a child in need, the first step you need to take is to educate yourself about the many options available to you. This article is intended to give you a brief overview of the three basic types of California adoptions. For more detailed information, you will need to contact an experienced San Jose family attorney.

Closed Adoptions

This is considered the “traditional” model, although the history of adoption is a bit more complex than that. In a closed adoption, an infant is adopted through an agency or state program, and all records of the child’s natural birth are sealed. The family may even be issued a new birth certificate that names the adoptive mother and father.

Although many happy families have come together through this process, it is not the best method for everyone. Fortunately, there are other options, with varying degrees of openness.

Semi-Open Adoptions

These adoptions are usually (though not necessarily) arranged through private agencies. The agencies introduce pregnant women looking for adoptive parents with families looking to adopt. This allows adoptive parents the peace of mind gained by speaking with the biological mother and learning about her medical history. It also allows the biological mother to choose a family that she truly believes will be best for the child.

Open Adoptions

In an open adoption, biological and adoptive parents stay in touch after the pregnancy and potentially throughout the child’s life. The child may interact with both sets of parents, or communication may be limited to regular updates sent from the adoptive parents to the biological ones. Although this method is still considered controversial in some ways, many families built through open adoptions report great satisfaction with their arrangements.

Contact a San Jose Adoption Lawyer

If you are considering adoption and would like to know more about the options available, contact the office of San Jose adoption lawyer Daniel Jensen at (408) 296-4100.