Why do people agree to an open adoption or closed adoption?

Adoption can be a very crucial step to be taken. Both in the case of parents and the child to be adopted, adoption demands a careful handling. The child needs to be taken care of in each and every possible way in order to protect him/her from any emotional heartbreaks or mental stress. In most of the cases, parents choose a close adoption method while some choose the open adoption process. However, both the ways have their own pros and cons. 

First, we need to understand the term close and open adoption in details

OPEN ADOPTION: An open adoption is a method where both the birth parents and the adopting parents stay connected to each other even after the adoption. In this case, both the party of parents shares the life experiences of the child and how he is/she is performing in academics, curriculum, school function and other aspects. In this type of adoption, the child is made to know about the birth parents once he/she is ready to understand the things. Both stay close and socialise in order to stay connected. The adopting parents and the birth parents meet at least once in a month or more in order to make the child feel more connected. Here the child gets to know that he or she is adopted.

CLOSE ADOPTION: This method does not include any of the above cases and here the process is very confidential as there is no connection between the birth parents and the adopting parents. The adopting parents do not want to make the child feel that he or she is adopted and prefer to give the child a shock free life without any feeling of being adopted. This type of adoption can be very delicate to handle.

In the case of open adoption it has been observed that many times the birth parents get connected to the child and if in any case, they stay away from the child for a long period, it’s the child who gets mentally disturbed and emotionally weak. Therefore, the step of open adoption also has to be taken very carefully. Open adoption also provides advantages to the birth parents as they can visit their child often or in fixed timings set. This is generally carried with information and under a supervision of adoption centre and a lawyer. But many times the open adoption process also takes advantage of different things. This is seen in many cases where the birth parents demand monetary help and funding in order to stay connected to the child.

Open adoption is a very friendly approach to the whole adoption process, but important steps should also be taken in order to keep this affair smooth and safe. It’s the child who will suffer if anything goes wrong. The child should be given proper information about the birth and adoptive parents and should be raised in a very good way which does not affect his/her mental stability.

Whereas on the other hand, close adoption is a very delicate process as the parents do not want the child to go through any dilemmas and want their child to grow as any other normal kid. In close adoption method, proper care is taken in the field of adoption to keep it as a secret from the child and never let him or her grow up with the thought that he/she is adopted. But in many cases, it has been seen that the child gets to know from any relatives or outsider about his or her adoption. Therefore, close adoption can be harmful to the emotional well-being of the child if not handled properly.

In close adoption method, the child is raised as their own child and therefore protect the child from any mental shock the parents should take steps before proceeding with the adoption process. Proper steps should be taken and the information sharing with the relatives and other members need to be done properly. Thorough house check up is a must in every adoption, but in the case of close adoption method, a proper background check should be done in order to protect the future of the child.

People, in general, prefer a closed adoption in order to maintain the family's dignity in a proper way without disturbing the child's psychology. But the open adoption is also nowadays being opted by many as it makes the child understand both the birth and adoptive parents in a better way. In an open adoption, no secrecy is there, therefore, there is less chance of the child to get any shock.

However, both the ways are good in their own perspective. It depends on the parents as to how they are going to handle it or we can say how they want to handle it. End of the day it should be about the child and his/her future. Therefore every step that is taken should be taken keeping in mind of the child's future.