You can feel confident in your adoption journey and connected to your child for the rest of their life thanks to open adoption in Texas. Open adoption can be the gift that keeps on giving for everyone involved in the adoption process because it allows for the following:

• You will never have to wonder how your child is doing and stay updated on their life.

• Your child will never have to wonder about where they came from or who their “real parents” are.

• The adoptive family will be able to speak openly with their adopted child about their adoption story.

Most women considering adoption are totally unfamiliar with how open adoption works. But, after understanding the idea better, it’s something that many prospective birth mothers are eager to choose. In fact, more than 90 percent of adoptions today involve some level of openness — and it is entirely up to you to decide what that looks like for you and your child.

If you’re an adoptive family curious about what open adoption entails for you, you can get more information here.

Here are the facts behind choosing open adoption vs. closed adoption in Texas.

What You Need to Know About Closed Adoption in Texas

In closed adoptions, Texas birth mothers and adoptive families share little to no identifying information with each other. They may not interact much during the adoption process, and they often have no ongoing contact after the adoption takes place.

Not so long ago, this was the standard for adoption. It was believed to be most beneficial for everyone involved in an era when adoption was falsely considered to be secretive or shameful.

But, closed adoptions meant that birth parents were left wondering if the child they placed for adoption had grown up healthy and happy with a loving family. They meant that adoptees had no medical history to rely on, nor any answers about the circumstances leading to their adoption. This lack of information made it difficult for birth parents and adoptive families to contact one another if they wanted to meet later on in life, and it made it more difficult for adoptees to form a positive self-identity.

Fortunately, prospective birth mothers today have the power to choose the type of relationship they want to have with the adoptive family and their child during and after the adoption process. Some prospective birth mothers still feel that closed adoption in Texas is the best option for them, and this is entirely their choice to make. However, more and more women today are choosing open adoptions in Texas and across the U.S.

What You Need to Know About Open Adoption in Texas

Today, 90 percent of adoptions are considered “open adoptions.” This is a welcome shift with a mutually beneficial outcome for everyone involved in adoption.

Many people wonder what is involved in an open adoption and have questions about birth mother rights in open adoption in Texas. Essentially, an open adoption is whatever you want it to be. They lie on a scale of openness.

“Semi-open” adoptions, for example, fall on the less-open side of the scale and typically only involve the sharing of basic information. However, most adoptive parents and birth parents today share a more open adoption, which involves direct communication without an agency’s involvement.

These more open adoptions in Texas might share:

• Both parties’ contact information, such as your email addresses, mailing addresses or phone numbers, so that you can keep in touch more easily.

• Direct communication through photos, video chats, text, photos, calls and more

• Visits on special occasions like birthdays and holidays.

• Whatever else you both feel comfortable sharing together in your lives.

It’s up to you and the adoptive family to decide how comfortable you feel with varying levels of openness in your Texas adoption. However, all of American Adoptions’ families are committed to sharing an open adoption with you, which includes, at minimum, the exchange of pictures and letters, phone numbers, and at least one visit after placement.

You can always speak with your adoption specialist to learn more about your post-placement contact options.

What Open Adoption in Texas Looks Like

At American Adoptions, we understand that the idea of separating from your child can be difficult even if you know that adoption is what’s best for them. That’s why we encourage open adoptions. Here are some of the opportunities open adoption in Texas can provide:

• Open adoptions give your child opportunities to talk with you about their personal history and adoption

• Open adoptions allow you to have a meaningful relationship with your child and their family for a lifetime

• Open adoptions let you see your child grow up happy with a family who loves them

Open adoptions have helped birth parents heal post-placement by removing any lingering fears they might have about their child’s happiness after the adoption. Through open adoptions, birth and adoptive families remain connected and a valued part of each other’s lives. Many birth and adoptive parents even come to think of each other sort of like extended family!

An American Adoptions birth mother, Caitlin, had this to say about choosing open adoption for her son: “He gets this family who can take care of him and do everything I couldn’t, but he can also know that I didn’t just give him away. I had a purpose for him, and it was meant to be.”

American Adoptions agrees with the recommendations of experts  that increased openness in adoptions is beneficial for everyone involved, particularly the adoptee. 

We recommend open adoptions whenever circumstances allow.

Sometimes it can be helpful to talk to someone who has gone through the adoption process themselves. Our staff is made up of adoptees, birth parents and adoptive families. Michelle, an American Adoptions birth parent specialist and birth parent herself, can offer you helpful insight and is available to answer any questions you might have.

You can get more information about open adoption in Texas and begin viewing open adoption parent profiles now by calling 1-800-ADOPTION for free information with no obligation.

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