While closed adoptions are far less common in the United States than more traditional open adoptions, they are still a tool that some families choose to use in certain circumstances. Unlike open adoptions, in which adoptive parents and birth parents often get to know each other over time before the adoptions actually occurs and may remain in touch afterward, closed adoption seeks to keep the adoption details sealed as a whole.
A closed adoption means that the parent or parents who adopt that child seek to seal any legal records of the adoption and may not even inform a child that he or she is actually adopted. These procedures generally seal all of the documentation of the adoption itself, making it very difficult for the child or the birth family to find details of each other later on.
Closed adoptions are useful to parents who choose to adopt a child out of a particularly difficult situation, such as a dangerous home that features substance abuse. However, even a closed adoption may eventually open up if one party or another goes to great lengths to unseal the documents of the adoption.
Choosing to pursue a closed adoption may take a great deal of time and effort to execute properly. Be sure that you have all the tools you need before moving forward.
If you believe that a closed adoption may be the right fit for you, an expired family law attorney can provide you with the information you need to move forward. With proper guidance by an experienced family law attorney, you can explore all your options to help you achieve your adoption goals while protecting the one you love.
Source: Findlaw, “Open vs. Closed Adoption,” accessed Dec. 22, 2017