Open vs. Closed Adoption
Adoptions of U.S.-born children increasingly are “open” adoptions, where the birth parents and the adoptive parents stay in some degree of contact. If you are considering an open adoption, you should speak with an attorney experienced in this area to learn more about the impact an open adoption can have on you and your new child.
San Antonio Adoption Lawyers
The lawyers of Efron & Efron, Inc., help prospective parents throughout South Texas bring a child into their families. We are able to facilitate stepparent adoptions, grandparent adoptions and all types of adoptions. Call 210-366-9676 or e-mail our law firm to schedule a consultation.
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An attorney can be very useful in helping a family clear all the legal hurdles in the adoption process. Barry Efron and Jack Efron of the law firm of Efron & Efron take great pride in helping parents unite with children.
If you want to adopt a child, a lawyer can be of great assistance. Contact the San Antonio law firm of Efron & Efron today.
Open vs. Closed Adoption
In a closed adoption, the adoptive parents and birth parents have no contact before or after the adoption. The term "open adoption" is poorly defined, but it generally means that there is some level of contact between birth parents and adoptive parents, after an adoption is completed. Post adoption contact and communication agreements may be included in the Final Order of Adoption. It is important to work with an adoption attorney who understands how such an agreement may be negotiated, drafted and enforced.
Contact Efron & Efron, Inc. in San Antonio, TX, today to schedule a consultation with an experienced adoption attorney.
Closed Adoptions
In the past, most families used an agency facilitate the adoption of a newborn. The prospective adoptive family would be placed on a list and wait for the social worker to make a match. The adoptive parents didn't know where the child came from or the identity of his or her birth parents. The child might not have even known that he or she came into the family through adoption. When adoptions are closed, the files are usually sealed. Even if the adoptive parents and birth parents know of each other at the time of the adoption, they do not stay in touch after the adoption takes place.
Open Adoptions
Open adoptions, in which the adoptive and birth parents actually meet and usually stay in touch following the adoption, are becoming more common. Most agencies now encourage some degree of openness. The birth parents have a voice in choosing their child's adoptive parents. Commonly, the agency gives the birth parents biographies of prospective adoptive parents, and the birth parents pick the family with which they are most comfortable. The birth parents and adoptive parents meet, and they might be in touch during the pregnancy. Many times the adoptive parents are able to witness their child's birth. The level of contact following the adoption varies. Some families stay in touch through their adoption agency, especially on birthdays and holidays, while others become and remain friends.
Adoptive and birth parents may have difficulty legally enforcing an open adoption agreement. Because the purpose of an adoption is to terminate the birth parents' parental rights and sever their ties with the child, most states do not have laws authorizing open adoptions. Thus, if birth parents wish to enforce their rights under the agreement to visit the child, they may be left with no legal remedy if the court declines to enforce the agreement.
Conclusion
The terms "open adoption" and "closed adoption" refer to the degree of contact between the adopted child's birth family and adoptive family. There are advantages and disadvantages to each type, and an experienced adoption lawyer can help you determine the degree of contact that is right for you and your family. Contact Efron & Efron, Inc. in San Antonio, TX, to schedule a consultation with an adoption attorney to learn more about closed and open adoptions.
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