What does open adoption mean in Texas? The open adoption definition in Texas is not specific, however it basically means having an adoption in which the birth mother has a relationship with her child throughout his or her upbringing. It means that a birth mother and adoptive parents have agreed upon a post-placement contact agreement and are honoring it throughout the adopted child’s life. This post-placement agreement will include the frequency and type of contact that the birth mother will have with her child and the adoptive family for the next 18 years. An adoption professional can help any woman considering adoption with the creation of her post-placement agreement with her chosen adoptive family in Texas.

What is Open Adoption in Texas?

To define open adoption, it is important to understand why open adoption is different from closed or semi-open adoptions. An open adoption was not even an option for a long time in the history of adoption in the U.S. However, as time has passed, and society has evolved, studies have proven open adoption facts that show open adoption to be the healthiest form of a post-placement relationship.

Today, there are many Texas open adoption stories of birth mothers who visit with their birth child, birth mothers who talk to their birth child on the phone, birth mothers who exchange gifts and letters with their birth child, etc. In Texas, a potential birth mother can work with an adoption professional to create an adoption plan that includes any of these contact options and more, and include the adoptive parents in creating a post-placement agreement.

What is Closed Adoption in Texas?

On the other side of the adoption relationship spectrum, there is always the option of a prospective birth mother choosing a closed adoption in Texas. A closed adoption is when the birth mother chooses not to have any form of contact with her child. This may be a better fit than an open adoption for some birth mothers. Whatever your reason is for choosing a closed adoption, you always have the option with a closed adoption to file your name in an adoption registry for Texas. This way, your birth child can access your information when they turn 18 if they so choose.

What is Semi-Open Adoption in Texas?

In between a closed adoption and an open adoption lies the semi-open adoption. In Texas, a semi-open adoption is an adoption relationship that utilizes the adoption agency as a mediator. In this way, personal information is kept private, and letters and pictures can be exchanged via the adoption agency. This is a great alternative for a birth mother who desires to have privacy in her life, while still having some form of post-placement contact with her birth child. In Texas, a birth mother has the option of a semi-open adoption through her adoption agency, whether it be a local or national agency.

The Benefits of Open Adoption in Texas

The are benefits to open adoption in Texas for the entire adoption triad. A birth mother will have the joy of watching her birth child flourish and grow, while being encouraged by his or her upbringing that she has made the best choice. A birth child will have the gift of more parents and knowing where they came from and how loved they are. A birth child who is raised in a loving open adoption can have the opportunity from the start to learn how loving of a choice adoption is for all parties. Adoptive parents with an open adoption have the freedom to be honest with their adopted child about where they came from and can answer their questions along the way as they grow up. The benefits of an open adoption in Texas can stretch far beyond these examples. Every open adoption situation in different. While there will be bumps along the road, as there are in any relationship, open adoption in Texas can bring peace and joy to an adopted child’s life.

Prospective birth mothers will have many questions when it comes to learning about and choosing open adoption in Texas. Please fill out this contact form so that an adoption specialist can reach out and answer those questions. Whether you are an expectant mother, or a parenting mother, open adoption is an option in Texas. Open adoption is an incredible experience that can bring immense joy and fulfillment along with it.