When you first start considering adoption, you may not know that there are different adoption arrangements that you can choose. Your needs and desires as the prospective birth mother will direct the openness outlined in the adoption plan.

If you are curious if you can have an open adoption in Ohio, the answer is yes: you can have contact with your child after the adoption is final. And if you are wondering if a closed adoption is possible in Ohio, the answer is also yes: you can choose to have no contact if that is what you need.

If you are ready to start making some of these decisions on your adoption plan, you can contact an adoption specialist today!

What is Open adoption in Ohio?

Open adoption in Ohio is an agreement made between birth parents and adoptive parents that allows for a post-placement relationship or at least some sort of contact. It can range from occasional email exchanges to scheduled in-person visits, and you will get to decide what you want this to look like.  

It is up to you what kind of relationship you want to maintain with the adoptive parents. Depending on what you would like out of your experience with open adoption, you can:

• Become acquainted with adoptive parents during your pregnancy
• Choose the mode of communication you are most comfortable with – texting, talking on the phone, writing emails, in-person visits, and more
• Have time with the adoptive family at the hospital when your baby is born
• Receive pictures and updates on your baby’s life through the agency
• Continue a relationship with direct interaction and reciprocated contact

These choices will be made when you write your adoption plan. Then, your adoption specialist will consider your open adoption preferences when they match you with adoptive parents, so you can rest assured that the families who you are considering for your baby are comfortable with your needs.

Of course, you have the right to change your mind about your initial choices as you get further into the adoption process.

Do Adoption Professionals Recommend Open Adoption in Ohio?

Open adoption is widely encouraged by adoption professionals in Ohio because of the many benefits that it offers all members of the triad — but especially the adopted child.

Open adoption can help a child to develop a positive identity as an adoptee because they have access to their biological and personal history. Conversely, the lack of information from a closed adoption agreement can negatively impact them.

Most agencies in Ohio are “open adoption agencies,” because most modern adoptions have some degree of openness to them. Whatever contact you would like to have with your baby after adoption should be respected and honored by the adoption professional with whom you are working.

Additionally, if you begin to feel differently about the kind of adoption you want as your pregnancy progresses or as your relationship with the adoptive parents grows, your adoption specialist will support you in making changes to your adoption plan. It is your right to make these decisions, and if you feel pressure from an adoption agency regarding these choices, it might be a sign that you are working with the wrong agency.

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

Increasingly, Ohio families understand the benefits of open adoption, and even if they are somewhat skeptical at first, they come around to it as they become educated on the many advantages that it brings both them and their child.

When you develop your adoption plan and detail the ways that you would like to stay in contact with your child, you might be nervous that you will not find a match. Rest assured, there are hopeful adoptive parents out there who would be thrilled to engage with you and to maintain a relationship. They know the positive impact an open adoption can have on their baby’s life.

Your adoption specialist will present you with family profiles that match your adoption preferences, and then you will choose from there. Once you select an adoptive family for your child, you will develop a postadoption contact agreement (PACA), or open adoption agreement, that will describe the details of your postadoption relationship. These can be informal understandings or written, formal contracts.

While open adoptions are not legally enforceable in Ohio, the right agency will counsel adoptive parents and birth parents to stay true to one’s word for the benefit of the child. 

Open Adoption vs. Closed Adoption

Some women may need the privacy that comes with a closed adoption in Ohio, and this is completely acceptable. There are certain scenarios where it is better to choose this option, and your adoption specialist can help you make this determination if you are wavering in your decision.

As you consider the pros and cons of open adoption or determine how open you want your adoption to be, it might be helpful to hear what the benefits of an open adoption actually are.

Benefits of Open Adoption include:

• You will have the chance to watch your child grow. Whether it is through pictures and mediated contact or in-person annual visits, you will have the opportunity to see your child thrive and mature through the years.
• You will create lifelong connections. You might be surprised to know that some adoptive parents and birth parents consider themselves friends – or even family.
• You can answer questions your child has about their adoption. Open adoption offers you the chance to tell your child why you chose adoption and to help them process their story as they mature.
• You can relay any health concerns to your child. Contact with your baby’s adoptive parents gives you the opportunity to update your health history which could alert them of any hereditary risks.

Closed adoption means that there is little to no information shared between birth mother and adoptive parents after an adoption is final (or even during the pregnancy if that is the birth mother’s choice). While it is widely understood that this is the way that adoption typically works, this could not be further from the truth. Most modern adoptions are open or semi-open.

Still, a number of adoptions are closed, and for good reasons. These closed adoption reasons include:

• The birth mother needs emotional closure.
• The birth mother has concern for her or the child’s safety that necessitates a closed adoption.
• The birth mother has a need to prioritize her privacy.

Like so many other things in your adoption journey, only you can make the decisions your adoption agreement. Of course, you will have help along the way, and adoption professionals will guide you and mediate communication as much as you need.

If you are ready to talk to an Ohio adoption specialist about the type of adoption you would like for your baby, contact an agency today.