When you decide to put your child up for adoption, it doesn’t have to feel like you’re telling them “goodbye” forever. You can retain your bond by choosing open adoption in Illinois.
What is an open adoption in Illinois? The open adoption definition in Illinois states that it’s a form of adoption that includes an arrangement among the parties to stay in touch and foster an ongoing relationship through continuing contact after placement. Open adoption in Illinois allows you to build a lifelong relationship with your child.
Open adoption in Illinois lets you enjoy the best of both worlds: you can provide your kid with the life you want for them and still play a role in their life. Open adoption in Illinois has become the norm due to its impressive benefits. To learn why so many birth parents are opting for open adoption, please complete our online form to speak with a professional.
Meanwhile, keep reading for more information on the differences between closed adoption, semi-open adoption, and open adoption in Illinois and how each will shape your life and your child’s life in the future.
What is Open Adoption in Illinois?
Open adoption in Illinois has become common in adoption thanks to the advantages it extends to everyone involved. Open adoption in Illinois originates from a shared love of the child on behalf of the parties involved in adoption. Open adoptions in Illinois are so popular now for one simple reason: birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees all benefit from them.
Some advantages of open adoptions in Illinois include
- Your child gets to know their history and heritage.
- You get to see your kid grow and thrive in a loving family.
- Your child’s family gets access to important family medical history information if needed.
- You get easy access to adoption records to find out about your child’s life.
- You get to remain in contact with your child (and that includes in-person meetings.)
- Your child gets protected from negative feelings that sometimes accompany closed adoption.
- Your child gets a loving extended family to cherish and support them.
What Drawbacks May Be Associated with Open Adoption in Illinois?
The supposed drawbacks associated with open adoptions in Illinois have largely been disproven in modern adoption. Open adoptions in Illinois are usually beneficial for everyone involved, especially adoptees. That is one of the many reasons that open adoption in Illinois is recommended by most licensed adoption professionals.
What does open adoption mean in Illinois? It means different things to each member of the adoption triad. For birth parents, it means you get to remain in control of your decisions when you choose open adoption in Illinois, including how much information you share, what information you share, and how frequently you have contact with your child.
Your open adoption in Illinois can be built to suit your personal preferences, but there is information commonly shared in most open adoptions in Illinois, like:
- Birth parent, adoptive parent, and the adoptee’s contact information
- Family medical history for the birth parent (if available)
- In-person interaction for special occasions
- Free and direct communication among members of the adoption triad
You get to decide which family will raise your child regardless of the post-placement contact arrangement you’ve selected. If open adoption in Illinois is right for you, seek out agencies that facilitate open adoption in Illinois.
You’ll find a few agencies below in Illinois that work with birth mothers on open adoptions in IL.
- American Adoptions
- Adoption Center for Family Building
- Adoption Center of Illinois
- Angel Adoption
- The Cradle
What is a semi-open adoption in Illinois?
Semi-open adoption in Illinois is a lot like open adoption in Illinois, with one important difference. The main point of distinction between them is the scope of semi-open adoption in Illinois. Semi-open adoption may feature communication among those involved, but the information shared is more general in nature and less detailed.
With semi-open adoption in Illinois, you can also choose to forgo direct communication among the parties. Instead, information can be shared through your adoption professional, who will moderate the contact in semi-open adoption in Illinois. The information shared may be limited to:
- First names of the birth parents and adoptive families
- Rudimentary medical information and family history for the adoptee
- Basic biographical information or geographic location of the birth parents
Not every birth mother wants direct contact with their child and the adoptive family, and that’s okay. If that’s what you think is best for you, then semi-open adoption in Illinois may be the correct path forward.
What is closed adoption in Illinois?
The opposite of open adoption in Illinois is closed adoption. When a birth mother doesn’t want contact with her child or the adoptive family following placement, she can opt for a closed adoption. In closed adoption, there’s no information exchanged, though you can make allowances for your child to locate you at age 18.
Open Adoption vs. Closed Adoption in Illinois: How Do They Differ?
The main distinction between open vs. closed adoption in Illinois is the volume of contact present with each type. In open adoption in IL, all contact that the parties agree to is fine. Conversely, in a closed adoption, there’s no communication at all, and little, if any, information is shared by the people involved.
Before choosing between closed adoption vs. open adoption in Illinois, you should know there are some potentially negative outcomes associated with closed adoption, including:
- You’ll never know if your child is healthy and well.
- Adoptees don’t know their family medical history.
- Adoptees struggle with feelings of abandonment.
- Birth parents and children have a difficult time finding one another in the future.
Closed adoptions were not unusual in years past, but the advantages of open adoption in Illinois have made closed adoption less popular than ever before. Also, the reported benefits of closed adoption have been roundly discredited, leaving open adoption in Illinois as the preferred kind of adoption for most birth mothers.
You’re in charge of deciding between closed vs. open adoption in Illinois, but please thoroughly consider the influence each option will have on your life and what’s best for you and your baby.
Are Open Adoptions in Illinois Enforceable Under State Law?
Agreements for open adoptions in Illinois, also known as post-adoption contract agreements, are not addressed by Illinois state adoption law. However, enforcement isn’t usually an issue because the adoption triad members involved in the open adoption in Illinois want what’s best for the child.
Open adoptions in Illinois are an outgrowth of a cooperative sense of love for the child that’s shared by the birth parents and adoptive parents. The parties in an open adoption in Illinois don’t co-parent, but everyone involved wants to ensure the child’s best interests are met. You can find more information about open adoption in Illinois by contacting a licensed adoption professional to see how the law may apply to your situation.
How To Find Out More about Open Adoption in Illinois
What is open adoption in Illinois? That’s a simple question with a complicated answer because open adoption in Illinois can mean many things to many different people.
The advantages of open adoption in Illinois are the reason it has become common in modern adoption. There are few (if any) drawbacks that arise from staying in touch with your child and seeing them become the person they’re meant to be within their adoptive family. Open adoption in Illinois isn’t for everyone, but you alone get to determine that.
It’s a personal decision because it will profoundly shape the future relationship between you and your unborn child. To get guidance from adoption professionals on choosing the type of adoption arrangement that best meets your needs, complete our online form.
