Adoption Terms and Lingo Part 1
Part 2 Home Studies
Part 3 Relinquishment
Part 4 Birthmother and It’s Many Variations


In Part 1 I briefly mentioned the different types of adoption, but let’s explore them each a little more closing to conclude this series.

Let’s be backwards and start with closed adoption first as it is probably the easiest to define. Closed adoption is the type of adoption where you know nothing about your child. You don’t know anything about his or her family, where he/she is going, etc. Closed adoptions are typically associated more with adoptions in previous generations. It was simply the only choice for many older birthmoms. Any other type of adoption was unheard of. Nowadays, choosing a closed adoption is uncommon, although at times they do still happen for one reason or another. Some people feel that closed adoptions would be easier as the birthmother could just “move on and forget” but this is untrue. You can’t forget your child.

Semi open adoptions are typically adoptions where some kind of information is known about both the adoptive parents and birthparents. The birthparents and adoptive parents may meet and there is usually some kind of ongoing contact such as pictures, between the adoptive parents and birthparents, often through a third party such as a social worker or adoption agency. There is also an exchange of non identifying information, such as first names or the state of residency. Birthmothers who feel knowing too much information about where their child is, who is raising him or her, etc may choose a semi open adoption and still get to see their child through pictures.

Open adoption is a pretty broad term covering adoptions where generally birthparents have chosen the adoptive parents. Open adoptions can include (but do not always include) the following:

• Exchange of identifying information such as first and last names, telephone numbers, addresses, etc



• Ongoing contact that is usually direct between adoptive parents and birthparents which can include visits, telephone calls, exchange of emails, videos, pictures, etc.

Many in the adoption community feel open adoption is better for the child in the majority of cases.

It’s important to note that both semi open and open adoptions are not legally enforceable so they can close at any time for a number of reasons.