Choosing the Type of Adoption You Want in Your Arizona Adoption Plan
When choosing the type of adoption you want in your adoption plan, you certainly have a lot to think about regarding the three available options — open, semi-open or closed adoption. Each one comes with its own pros and cons and can dictate how much contact and involvement you have with your child and your adoption family after the adoption has been finalized. Every birth mother will be different in which option they choose, as you all have unique stories and circumstances. So, there is no right or wrong way to go about this. At Adoption Choices of Arizona, we want to make sure when creating your Arizona adoption plan, here are the different types of adoption for you to choose from.
Picking a Closed Adoption in Arizona
In many states, including Arizona, choosing a closed adoption means your identifying information and records will not be shared with your child or the adoptive family. Your child will not have access to health, medical, or any other information about their adoption until they turn the legal age of 18.
Even though closed adoption isn’t as popular or as common as it once was, it is still a valid decision to make for you and your child. This is especially true if you want anonymity or choose it for safety reasons. Another reason may be that you want immediate closure and the ability to move forward with your life. A closed adoption can also provide birth mothers with a sense of protection against the associated stigma and judgment from unsupportive peers and family members regarding adoption. Ultimately, there are many reasons why you could choose a closed adoption for your personalized adoption plan, and Adoption Choices of Arizona will respect whatever you decide. We are here to ensure you develop the adoption plan you need to have a successful and positive experience throughout your adoption process.
Selecting an Open Adoption in Arizona
The other option you may want to consider when choosing the type of adoption you want in your adoption plan is an open adoption. An open adoption is more variable and has different degrees of “openness,” depending on what you choose; but basically, it represents an adoption agreement where you have a relationship and communication with your child through the adoptive family. When working with Adoption Choices of Arizona, we want to give you every available option when it comes to open adoption. After choosing which adoptive family you’d like to place your child with, you’ll be able to meet with them. This can allow you the opportunity to get to know them before the adoption is finalized and to talk about what level of communication you’ll have with them and your child in the future.
Choosing open adoption is becoming increasingly popular as time goes on in the United States because it allows you to remain bonded with your child even after the adoption process has ended. If you wish to maintain that emotional connection, then this is the right choice for you. You’ll get to see your child grow up in a healthy environment, knowing that they’re taken care of and that you can still play a part in their life. Your child may also benefit greatly from having you, their birth mother, as someone to look up to in their life.
Wanting a Semi-Open Adoption in Arizona
Another option on the table if you feel caught between the two previously mentioned is the semi-open adoption. In a semi-open adoption, you are still enabled to choose your child’s adoptive family and communicate with them to a degree of your choosing prior to the adoption. There is, however, a focus on maintaining anonymity, especially after the child is placed with the adoptive family permanently and the adoption is finalized. At that point, you will no longer have contact with the adoptive family.
When deciding on a semi-open adoption, you may be considering some of the benefits of the open adoption in giving you power over where your child goes, while also thinking of the benefits of a closed adoption that provides you anonymity and in some cases, safety for you and your child. This option provides you with the opportunity to take advantage of both angles.
Choosing the Type of Adoption You Want
Ultimately, the decision is yours when it comes to choosing what kind of adoption you want for your child. Open, semi-open, and closed adoption all offer their own respective benefits and disadvantages, yet you are fully in control over whether there’s lots of communication or none whatsoever.
Adoption Choices of Arizona will be with you every step of the way, no matter which type of adoption you choose for your adoption plan.
For adoption resources or to begin your adoption journey, birth parents can visit us at Adoption Choices of Arizona or call or text us at 1-480-900-5520. If you are a prospective adoptive family hoping to adopt a baby, please instead, visit us here!
Meet the Author: Josh Drogemuller is a Senior at Grand Valley State University and has interests in writing and digital studies. A relative newcomer to the field of professional writing, Josh has spent the last eight years of his educational career honing his skills on the page. Josh is currently working towards a Bachelor of Science in Writing.
Living in the Midwest, Josh looks forward to long baseball games and longer sentences.
