What is open adoption in New Hampshire?

Open adoption in New Hampshire is any adoption agreement that includes a continued relationship between a birth mother and her child.

Open adoption looks different depending on the needs and preferences of the birth mother. So, while most modern adoption have a degree of openness, the details of your post-adoption agreement can be drastically different than another birth mother’s open adoption agreement.

If you choose open adoption, you will get to determine the frequency and the kind of communication that you want with the adoptive family. You can also choose semi-open adoption, or closed adoption if you need a more restrictive agreement. In New Hampshire, all these options are available to you.

You get to choose. You get to develop your adoption plan to reflect your needs. If you are ready to explore what adoption could look like for you, contact a professional today.

How Does an Open Adoption Work in New Hampshire?

Most people have an outdated idea of how adoption works, especially when it comes to the relationship between adopted child and birth mother. Open adoption is the norm, and it allows for a sustained and loving relationship between the birth mother, child, and adoptive family. In fact, it is widely accepted by adoption professionals as beneficial to all parties. In New Hampshire, your adoption specialist will help you craft an open adoption agreement that addresses your needs and wants.

You might assume that open adoption is mostly desired by birth mothers, but more and more, adoption professionals receive open adoption requests from hopeful adoptive parents too.

One reason for this is that a continued relationship with an adopted child’s birth mother can support the development of a positive identity as an adoptee. Furthermore, it makes it possible for them to have access to necessary information about their medical history and biological family.

Some birth mothers want annual updates about their child, others decide they want more frequent communication, and others include in-person visits to their adoption agreement. The kind of relationship you want with your child’s adoptive parents is up to you, and it will be outlined in your adoption plan.

Common post-adoption agreements include the following requests:

• Pictures and letters mediated by your adoption specialist
• Emails and text messages sent directly between parties
• Phone calls and video calls
• In-person visits

If you are curious about open adoption and want to know which professionals will support you, you are in luck. You do not have to track down any special “open adoption agencies” because the vast majority of agencies will accommodate your requests. Open adoption is standard, common, and well-supported by adoption professionals. If you are working with a licensed agency, your adoption specialist will guide you through the open adoption process.

Here are some New Hampshire agencies that can help you:

• American Adoptions
• Adoptive Families for Children
• Catholic Charities of New Hampshire
• Bethany Christian Services

For some birth mothers and adoptive families, the relationship that is fostered through adoption flourishes into a lifelong bond. Some adoption triads even consider each other family.

This is the case for Helina, a birth mother. When asked about her open adoption, she said:

“They welcomed me with open arms … Each year, to this day, I am able to travel to Philadelphia to see them. We are a close family now.”

How Can I Find an Adoptive Family Who Wants an Open Adoption in New Hampshire?

Contrary to popular belief, nine out of 10 hopeful adoptive couples want to pursue a post-adoption agreement that has some level of openness.

Whether they enter the adoption process knowing or are educated by adoption professionals, they understand the benefits of open adoption. If you want an open adoption, there are families available who want the same thing. Your adoption specialist will create a list of potential adoptive families with similar post-adoption expectations.

When you choose the perfect family for your child, you will then work with an adoption specialist to develop a postadoption contact agreement (PACA). This will include the details that will make your adoption arrangement what you need it to be. Open adoption agreements range from informal understandings to formal contracts.

No matter what, though, the right agency will urge both birth mothers and adoptive families to stay true to their word when they agree to the plan.

Open Adoption vs. Closed Adoption in New Hampshire [Which is Best for You?]

Open adoption is not your only choice, and some women may feel some hesitancy around entering an open adoption agreement. If you are uncertain about the kind of adoption agreement you would like to have, you might be interested in hearing the pros and cons of open adoption.

This is an important decision and one that affects the rest of your life, so it is good to be thorough and make sure that the agreement you are entering is what you really want for yourself and your child. While many birth mothers want to continue a relationship with their child, there are situations where women require the privacy and anonymity of a closed adoption.

Benefits of open adoption include:

• You can watch your child grow. For some birth mothers, open adoption simply means they receive a letter with pictures each year updating them on their child’s well-being. Others see their child on special occasions and keep up frequently through text, phone call, or email. With open adoption, you can witness your child grow and thrive.
• You will be able to answer questions your child might have. When an adopted child reaches adolescence, they often have questions about their identity and their adoption story. Open adoption gives you the chance to provide them with the information that can help them through this time.  
• You can update your family health history. Health history can be essential to preventing disease, and when you keep lines of communication open between you and your child’s adoptive parents, you are able to inform them of any pertinent health information quickly and easily.
• You can create lifelong bonds. When you choose the perfect adoptive family for your child and develop the post-adoption agreement that suits you best, you are setting yourself up for a special relationship that could last your whole life.

A closed adoption is a post-adoption agreement that give birth mothers and adoptive families privacy and anonymity. In an agreement like this, little to no information is shared, and there is no contact after adoption placement.

Reasons you may consider requesting a closed adoption agreement include:

• You need emotional closure.
• You have safety concerns that must be prioritized over the benefits of open adoption.
• You require a greater degree of privacy.

The details of your adoption agreement are up to you but know that you are not alone. If you are struggling to decide what kind of adoption you want, there are adoption professionals who will guide you through this process.

If you would like to speak with a New Hampshire adoption specialist about your post-adoption agreement, contact an agency today.