Open Adoption Agencies

In 2000, the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) published its Standards of Excellence in Adoption Practices endorsing openness in adoption. This position reflects the growing acceptance of and preference for open adoption on the part of both adopting and placing parents, and it's estimate that the majority of domestic infant adoptions in the U.S. today are based on some degree of openness. Open adoption agencies have established a flourishing presence.

For both placing and adopting parents, the degree of comfort with openness will determine the choice of an open adoption agency. Although many agencies may use the term "open adoption agency," the wording in their literature and on their Web sites will serve as a guide to their commitment to openness, the degree of support they are prepared to offer to sustain open adoptions, and the encouragement they give their clients who may have reservations.

For example, there's a big difference between these two (actual) open adoption agency statements:

[agency name] "supports some degree of open adoption"

and

"For the child, the benefits of open adoption can eliminate a harmful lifetime darkness of never knowing answers to many emotional unanswered questions."

As always, whether you're looking specifically for open adoption agencies or not, the process of selecting an adoption professional is one to be carefully considered.

Learn more about open adoption.