Adoption in Louisiana

What is an Open Adoption in Louisiana? [Pros and Cons of Open Adoption]


Did you know that most private adoptions in Louisiana are open?

It’s true. Maybe you are leaning toward placing your baby for adoption in Louisiana, but you are unsure if you could handle cutting off all ties with your child. Fortunately, you do not have to. And, in fact, most birth mothers continue some sort of correspondence and contact with their child after placement.

Open adoption in Louisiana is commonplace and encouraged by adoption professionals. There are countless open adoption benefits, and your desire to enter into an adoption agreement that allows for continued contact will be supported by adoption agencies and adoptive families alike.

In this guide, we will explore the following questions:

Continue reading for a better understanding of what type of relationship you might want with your baby and adoptive family. Of course, if you are ready to start your adoption process, you can contact a professional today.

What is Open adoption in Louisiana?

Most people have an outdated understanding of adoption. They might imagine that they are secretive, absolutely confidential, and that their child will grow up knowing very little about them. The truth is that there are many adoptive families and birth mothers who maintain regular contact and even consider one another as family. Adoption professionals agree that open adoptions are better for the adopted child than closed adoptions and offer benefits to the birth mother and adoptive family, too.

You can enter into an adoption agreement with regular updates about your child, correspondence, and even in-person contact.

When you start your journey to open adoption in Louisiana, you can make your desires clear from day one. Your adoption specialist will work with you to create an adoption plan that will serve as a blueprint for your adoption process. It will detail all your preferences and needs, and a part of this will be the nature of the relationship you want with your child and their adoptive parents.

Open adoption can look a lot of different ways. Interactions that are common between the adoption triad are:

Open Adoption Agencies in Louisiana

You might wonder if there are “open adoption agencies” that are better to work with when you want to pursue an open adoption in Louisiana. Since it is so prevalent, you will not have trouble finding professionals who will work with you toward an open adoption. Still, you will want to work with a licensed agency.

Some licensed and accredited agencies in Louisiana are:

It is common to feel uncertain or nervous about starting this relationship with your child’s adoptive parents. This is a new kind of relationship and there are a lot of unknowns as you enter it. Rest assured that you have adoption specialists to help you make decisions about what you would like your open adoption to look like.

What Are the Benefits of Open adoption in Louisiana?

Those who are not familiar with the world of adoption may assume that open adoption in Louisiana primarily benefits the birth mother. But, this isn’t the case. All three members of the adoption triad – birth mother, adopted child, and adoptive parents – benefit greatly from open adoption agreements. Below is a breakdown of the advantages that open adoption offers each member.

Open adoption allows birth mothers the opportunity to:

Open adoption allows adoptees the opportunity to:

Open adoption allows adoptive parents the opportunity to:

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

You are not alone in wanting an open adoption agreement with your adoptive family – not by a long shot. In fact, 90% of prospective birth mothers request an adoption with some degree of openness. This, along with adoption professionals’ advice to consider the benefits of open adoption, has impacted the number of families who are looking for a birth mother who wants an open adoption in Louisiana.

Additionally, reputable agencies (like those listed above) might have couples agree to some guidelines to ensure that they are on board with a truly open adoption arrangement.

For example, an agency might have open adoption couples agree to:

One way that adoption agencies align the desires of a birth mother and an adoptive family is through the APQ (Adoption Preference Questionnaire). In the same way that you work with your adoption specialist to develop an adoption plan, the families who want to adopt will work with a professional to describe their ideal adoption process and adoption agreement. Before you are even given their family profile to review, your desires and theirs will be matched.

When you partner with a national agency, you can choose from dozens — if not hundreds — of families who are looking to enter an open adoption agreement. If you partner with a local agency, though, your choices will be reduced by quite a lot. You may only have a handful to choose from. Either way, you will review the family profiles and select the perfect adoptive couple for your baby. This is when your open adoption relationship will begin. 

For some, the open adoption agreement is an informal understanding, and for others it is formalized and written into a postadoption contact agreement (PACA). A trusted agency in Louisiana will encourage both you and the adoptive parents to stay true to one’s word in regard to this open adoption agreement. While the laws are not clear-cut, if a formalized, signed agreement is not adhered to, there are laws in Louisiana that bolster your efforts to enforce the agreed upon contract.

Open Adoption vs. Closed Adoption in Louisiana

The benefits of open adoption outweigh any disadvantages. Adoption experts across the country agree that, in most cases, it is the best situation for all parties. However, there are reasons why, in your case, a closed adoption could be preferred – and even recommended.

A closed adoption provides privacy, anonymity, and sometimes protection to the birth mother. It offers a way for a birth mother to choose adoption and have little to no contact with the adoptive family (both before the adoption and after). This is still an option, and in some cases is necessary.

The disadvantages of closed adoption are:

Some reasons you might consider a closed adoption are:

While the benefits of open adoption are undeniable, closed adoption in Louisiana is sometimes still preferred or needed.

You get to decide what kind of adoption agreement to pursue. No matter your preference, you are not alone. Many women have walked in your shoes before this, and there are adoption professionals who will guide you through your adoption process every step of the way.

If you are ready to speak with a Louisiana adoption specialist, contact an agency today.

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