In the state of Alaska, birth mothers and adoptive families have different kinds of adoption agreements that define their relationship.

• You can have an open adoption in Alaska, which will allow you to have some contact with and information about your child as they grow and mature.
• You can have a semi-open adoption where you will have some contact that is either limited, mediated, or both.
• Or, you can have a closed adoption, which will provide you with little to no contact with your child or their adoptive family.

You get to make this decision. Your adoption specialist will ask you questions about your preferences and then find an adoptive family that is wanting a similar relationship.

If you are ready to start your adoption process, you can contact a professional today.

What is Open adoption in Alaska?

The concept of adoption is outdated in most people’s minds. They imagine that adoptions are secretive and completely confidential. In reality, there are many adoptive families and birth mothers who are so close that they consider each other family. Open adoptions are commonplace, and the consensus is that they are better for the adopted child than closed adoptions. You can pursue an adoption that allows you some contact with your child.

Your journey to open adoption in Alaska starts at the very beginning of the adoption process. One of the first tasks that you and your adoption specialist will work on is an adoption plan that outlines your desires for your adoption. A part of this will be the relationship that you want with your child and their adoptive parents.

Because open adoption is so prevalent, most agencies in Alaska are considered “open adoption agencies.” You will not have difficulty finding professionals who will accommodate you if you want an open adoption. That being said, you will want to make sure you are working with a licensed agency.

Some agencies available to you in Alaska are:

• American Adoptions
• Fairbanks Counseling and Adoption
• Alaska Adoption
• Alaska Adoption Services

Open adoption correspondence in Alaska can include:

• Pictures and letters
• Emails and text messages
• Phone calls and video calls
• In-person visits

You are not alone if you feel uncertain about what you want your relationship to look like with adoptive parents. This is a new kind of relationship that many don’t have experience with. Rest assured that your initial decisions can be revised if you begin to feel differently about what you need or want from an open adoption.

What Are the Benefits of Open adoption in Alaska?

On the surface, people may think that it is only the birth mother who would benefit from open adoption. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, all three members of the adoption triad – birth mother, adopted child, and adoptive parents – find that open adoption agreements in Alaska are advantageous.

Open adoption allows birth mothers the opportunity to:

• Develop a relationship with their child throughout their childhood
• Have the peace of mind that their child is thriving
• Create life-long bonds with adoptive parents
• Heal from the emotional challenge of placing their child up for adoption

Open adoption allows adoptees the opportunity to:

• Have access to updated medical information about their biological families
• Ask their birth parents questions that come up about their adoption
• Find answers to identity issues that are associated with being adopted
• Know where and who they come from

Open adoption allows adoptive parents the opportunity to:

• Give answers to their child when they have questions about their adoption and identity
• Have access to updated medical history about their child
• Develop a life-long bond with the birth mother of their child

How Will I Find an Adoptive Family Who Wants an Open Adoption in Alaska?

Open adoption is encouraged by adoption professionals and has quickly become the standard. Since 90% of prospective birth mothers prefer an open adoption agreement, the number of hopeful adoptive families who are open to the idea is increasing. While some express hesitancy, they are often persuaded by the proven benefits of open adoption in Alaska.

Licensed and reputable agencies might have the adoptive families agree to the following to make sure that they are on board with an open adoption:

• Open adoption couples must agree to direct communication with you.
• Open adoption families need to agree to at least one in-person visit following the adoption.
• Open adoption families will share identifying information with you.

When adoptive families begin their adoption process, one of the first things they do is fill out an Adoption Preference Questionnaire (APQ) with a professional that describes the kind of relationship they would like with the birth mother whose child they eventually will adopt. Your adoption plan and their APQ will be compared and if they are compatible, you will be given access to their family profile.

If you are working with a national agency, you will have dozens — if not hundreds — of families to choose from. If you are working with a local agency, on the other hand, you will only have a small handful. After reviewing the family profiles, you will select the perfect adoptive couple for your baby. Then your open adoption relationship with this family will begin. 

A postadoption contact agreement (PACA) (also known as an open adoption agreement) will likely be drawn up and formalized. This will describe the sort of relationship that you and your baby’s adoptive parents want to maintain. For some this step is skipped, and they enter a more informal post-adoption relationship.

The right agency in Alaska will encourage both you and the adoptive parents to stay true to one’s word when it comes to open adoption agreements. If an agreement is not respected or adhered to, there are laws in Alaska that support your efforts to enforce the contract set forth.

Open Adoption vs. Closed Adoption in Alaska

The benefits of open adoption are clear. However, there are valid reasons why you may want to pursue a closed adoption.

A closed adoption is an agreement that there will be little to no contact between the birth mother and the adoptive family – both before the adoption and after. This is still an option for birth mothers who prefer it.  

The disadvantages of closed adoption are:

• The adoptee might grow up and have questions about their identity that are unanswerable.
• Updates (medical or otherwise) between the parties will not be possible.
• Health information about the child’s biological family will not be updated.

Reasons you might consider a closed adoption include:

• You need closure after placement.
• You have safety concerns that make a closed adoption necessary.
• You require privacy.

Though there are many advantages of open adoption, closed adoptions in Alaska are sometimes still necessary.

You get to decide what kind of adoption agreement you want to make when you decide to put your baby up for adoption. Know that you are not alone, and that you have the support of adoption professionals along the way.

If you are ready to speak with an Alaska adoption specialist about, contact an agency today.