Open Adoption

Most domestic adoptions are open adoptions, but what does that mean? How does it work in real life? Is it best for adoptive families, birth families, and most important—the kids? Our guests will include Dawn Friedman, an adoptive mom, and Jenna Hatfield, a birth mom. Both are in open adoptions and both blog on the ups and downs of open adoption. We will also have Kris Faasse, Bethany’s national Director of Adoption Services with more than 15 years of experience with open adoptions.

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Hit the Highlights

What do we mean by open adoption?
No perfect degree of openness. It depends on the family and on the situation.
What to do when adoptive parents and first parents don’t agree on the degree of openness?
How to alter an open adoption agreement in an ethical way.
Is open adoption confusing to children.
Who do children consider to be their “real” parents?
What if you have different degrees of openness with different children.
How do you have openness when you disagree with the lifestyle of the birth parents.
Should adoptive parents search for more information on birth families or should this be left to children to decide when they are old enough.
What is you dislike the name given to your child by the birth parents.
Does openness help birth parents deal with their grief?
Do the birth parents on our panel regret their decision?
How do you explain to a child why his birthmother decided to parent another child, but made an adoption plan for your child.
How do open international adoption work?
Should you maintain openness with children who were removed from their birth families for abuse and neglect.