It's Time for Open Adoption

It's Time for Open Adoption

Based on statistics gathered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services Children's Bureau, approximately 46,000 children found homes through the foster care system last year alone (Cumpston, 8b). It is hard to imagine that there is this unbelievable number of children adopted in just one year, and the process is still different for every family who goes through it. Only after much research, can one conclude that while handling an adoption, a process known as open adoption is the most beneficial for everyone alike.

There are essentially two ways to adopt a child; one technique, known as an open adoption and one known as closed. Throughout the first quarter of the century, the latter of the two methods, also known as confidential adoption, was mainly used (Melina). This was an attempt to protect the birth mothers, as well as the child, from ruthless feelings toward them by the public. During the conception years of adoption, many people were not aware of how adoptions worked or why they were taking place, so they automatically assumed the worst of the situation and the people involved in it (Roszia).

However, over the years, the society's comprehension of adoptions in general has changed from oblivious to increasingly aware about how the process works, therefore resulting in the acknowledgment and acceptance of open adoption. In an open adoption, the birth parents and the adoptive parents have continued interaction throughout the extent of the child's life. Open adoptions present the opportunity to take a potentially hazardous situation and turn it into a loving environment for the child.

According to Sharon Kaplan Roszia, in her article title...

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Baran, Annette & Pannor, Reuben. "An Open Adoption Policy is Best." Opposing Viewpoints: Adoption. Harnack, Andrew, ed., Greenhaven Press, Inc., San Diego, CA., Pp. 228-237.

Byrd, Dean. "A Sealed Adoption Policy is Best." Opposing Viewpoints: Adoption. Harnack, Andrew, ed., Greenhaven Press, Inc., San Diego, CA., Pp. 238-245.

Cumpston, Lori. "Room for One More." The Daily Sentinel. November 23, 2000. Pp.8b

Melina, Lois. "A Look at Open Adoption for Prospective Adopters. [Online], Available: http://www.raisingadoptedchildren.com/library/articles/open.html, Dec. 7, 2000.

"Open Adoption." National Adoption Information Clearinghouse. [Online], Available: http://www.calib.com/naaic/pubs/s_open.htm,

Roszia, Sharon. "From: The Open Adoption Experience." [Online], Available: http://www.adopting.org/silveroze/html/open_adoption.html, 1997.