Adoption
...berta legislation orders all private adoptions to be open, whereas Ontario only allows a semi-open form to take place. [http://www.adoptionhelp.org/families/html] Although not all private adoption are open, most are open enough that it allows the birthparents to feel more in control of the process of placing his/her child. [http://www.adoption.com] For many just beginning the adoption process, the concept of open adoption seems to be another complication they would rather not deal with. Many birthparents fear that ongoing contact will make it difficult to move on with their lives. [http://www.openadoptioninsight.org/what_is_open_adoption.htm] Some are afraid that seeing their child will be too painful, others worry that their involvement might confuse the child. [http://www.adoptionhelp.org/families/html] Much of the open adoption experience is uncomfortable and awkward, especially in the beginning. .[http//:www.adoptionquotes.org/families/html] Most birthparents find that continuing contact with their child is and option too painful. Many adoptive parents, on the other hand, just want to be a family, without the added complication of visits with their child’s biological family. [http://www.adoption.com] Most adoption agreements are based on these feelings that occur around the time of the placement. If a closed adoption is what is chosen, as time goes on, many bithparents, adoptive parents, and the child find they want more contact, but feel that they are not able to ask for more because of the original agreement.[http://www.openadoptioninsight.org/what_is_open_adoption.htm] Women experience serious feelings of loss and grief after giving up their child for adoption. Open adoption gives biological parents more control over the adoption decision by providing them with information about the adoptive parents who will be receiving their child. Having this information allows them to see what type of environment their child will be raised in. This may relieve some of the guilt and uncertainty that the birth parents might have when giving up their child. [http://www.adoption.com] The possibility of having a relationship with the adoptive parents and the child may encourage more birth parents to choose adoption. This means that fewer children will be forced to live in unfit homes. Also the waiting period may be less for the adoptive parents because there are more children available for adoption. [Landau, E. p 18] Therefore, an open adoption may benefit potential adoptive parents by increasing the number of adoptable infants. It has been stated that closed adoptions contribute to identity confusion for children in their teenage years. [Wishard, L. & Wishard, W.] A 1997 study of 100 adults who were searching for their biological parents also had low self-esteems. [www.adoptionquotes.org/families/.html] Adopted children are also reported to be high users of mental health services for emotional problems. [http://www.adoption.com] Secrecy resulting from a closed adoption contributes to the adopted child being curious and confused about their past. This may lead the child to have a negative image of the birth parents. [Stanford, J. p 13] Open adoption prevents the adopted child’s need to search for their biological parents. If the child has access to their birth parents they can get answers to questions about their genealogy, instead of having to search for answers when they are adults. [Bonnestein, S.] If adoptive parents avoid dealing with their children’s history, they are denying that child a part of their identity. Open adoption may, therefore, benefit adopted children by increasing the number of supportive adults in their life. Sealing information about the birth parents from the adopted child has damaging effects on all three parties involved [http://www.adoptionhelp.org/families/.html] The effects on the birth parents could include life long pain and suffering. Even when giving up the child is carefully decided, birth parents may suffer from guilt after giving away a chil...