The Benefits of Open Adoption - Research Paper Example

The benefits of Open adoption There are a huge number of orphans all over the world because of wars, famines, and poverty. Adoption is a great solution for such situations, especially that there are many couples, who cannot have their own children. Adoptions are of two types; open adoption as well as closed adoption. However, open adoption is better than closed adoption because it helps the two families to be united by its influence on the birthparents, the adoptive parents, and the orphans themselves. An easier definition of an open or a closed adoption, is that in open adoption the birthparent and adoptive parent share Identification and information, but in closed adoption they do not (Reynolds 1). Open adoption has developed into being the norm in the United States for adoption of infants. In the past, closed procedures dominated adoption; it required that there be no transmission of information between the biological and adoptive parents regarding the adopted child. In general, the agency social workers took the mandate of determining who adopts the baby. This led to most people believing that the closed adoption was the norm. However, a number of pioneering agencies such as Lutheran Social Service and the nationwide independent adoption centre has led to the movement of change towards an open adoption. Currently, over 80% of domestic infants are adopted through the open adoption (Stein and Glen, 2007). It is clear that open adoption works to the best interests of the three parties involved: the biological parent, the adoptive parent and the adopted child (Myer, 2003). Since that in open adoption the birthparents become involved in their child life and contribute positively in raising the child. The birthparents play an important role in the open adoption by supporting the adoptive family and their child. When the birthparents apply for an open adoption, this will give them a sense of worth, instead of getting rid of their child. Moreover, the birthparents will have a role in the child’s life along with the adoptive parents. They will help the child during the hardest times in his\her life, better than the closed adoption (Silber 1). Unlike closed adoption, open adoption gives the adoptive parents all the answers their child might ask. In open adoption, both families became one family, because they are parenting the same child; as a result, they are considered as an extended family (Silber 1). They share love, care, and responsibility for raising the adopted child. These things may create goodwill between them. Besides that, they learn many new skills of raising a child, like how they can take care of the child during his/her infection, and teach a lot of emotional things to him/her. For example, when the child has a fever the adoptive parent will take care of him and this thing will change him emotionally. The adoptees are influenced positively by the presence of their birthparents both emotional and health. The adopted children usually face a number of emotional and psychological problems and insecurities due to the fact that they feel abandoned, and that they dont know about their background and origin. In open adoption, those issues can be easily resolved, because of the amount of information the adoptee and their adopted parents have access to. In such adoption adoptee knows that she/he was put to adoption out of love and hope to have a better life than what birthparents can offer them(Silber 2).     Also, one of the major benefits of open adoption is that the adoptee can ask about their health history whenever they needed, and even when they need blood donation or organ transplant they would be able to contact their birthparents. In addition, studies has proved that children in open adoption have showed a better behavior than other adoptees, and that behavioral problems such as aggression and hyperactivity were noticeably less than those who had not had any connection with their birthparents(Berry 133). Adoption is considered to be a good solution of the big number of orphans in the world, and a way for couples who can’t get biological children to have a child. Open adoption is a great way to adopt children because the adoptee and their adoptive parents can have connections with birthparents to get all needed information to raise the children. Open adoption is the most preferred method of adoption because both the birth parents and the adoptive parents are well known to the adopted child and are usually involved in his/her life. According to the findings by researchers on the drawbacks and benefits of all types of adoption in California, open adoption was considered the best form of adoption since the adopted child is normally provided with a chance to know and understand his or her roots. This plays a major role in reducing the curiosity, emotional distress and confusion that is likely to occur in a child. Despite the fact that the biological parents are usually known to the child, it does not guarantee them involvement in the day to day activities of the child. Instead, the adoptive parents determine the extent to which the biological parents become involved with the child. Open adoption places the biological parents at a better position in their child’s life. In most cases, the uncertainties which pile and go along with adoption are normally reduced. The biological parents experience a sense of comfort and feel at ease due to the fact that they are aware of their child’s whereabouts and well being through the continuous communication, updates and interactions with the adoptive parents (Nicholas, 2006). The parents also receive a sense of peace in knowing how their children are growing and developing with the adoptive parents. In relation to the reduction of uncertainties, open adoption minimizes the occurrence of guilt that accompanies the act of adoption among the biological parents. In most instances, biological parents are likely to experience guilt due to their negligence of duties and responsibilities by giving out their children for adoption. However, open adoption assists in minimizing these feelings since the parents obtain the assurance that close contacts will be maintained between them and their children. In addition, they assume that the direction and the action they are undertaking are to the best interest of their children. For instance, financially unstable parents offer their children for adoption with the hope that they will obtain a better life from the adoptive parents. Kate (1998), states that the biological parents play a significant role in determining the person who adopts their child. The sense of control places the biological parents at a better position to review, interview and select the best candidates who will offer maximum care to their child. On the contrary, closed adoption creates a barrier between the biological parent and his/ her child. The parent usually has no say on who adopts the child and does not get a chance of seeing the child. With an open adoption, the biological parent is likely to develop a healthy and positive relationship with the child and adoptive family. This is attributed to the close contacts maintained by the three parties even after adoption has taken place. The biological parent is placed at a position where he or she can monitor the child’s growth hence maintain close relationships with the child. On the other hand, relationship between the biological and adoptive parents develop day by day as both parties share information on the development of the child; they act as one big family. Open adoption benefits the adoptive parents in a number of ways. First and foremost, the chances of fear occurrences are reduced among the adoptive family. This is due to the fact that the identity, whereabouts and intentions of the biological parents are well known to them. Incase of insecurity among the adoptive parents, the biological parents consistently provide the assurance and confirmation that the child belongs to the adoptive parents and should therefore take on the parentage role. In closed adoption, there are normally fears on the intentions of the biological parents and hence many people tend to avoid it and result to open adoption. Secondly, trust and understanding usually develop among the adoptive parents as they continually obtain the affirmation from the biological parents concerning their role into the development of the child (Nicholas, 2006). This promotes positive interrelationships with the birth parents. In addition, the adoptive parents feel a stronger sense of right in their parental role as an outcome of being chosen by the biological parents to bring up the child. This helps them to accumulate a lot of confidence in raising the child. Hence, they are placed at a better position to understand the child’s medical and general history and answer some of the questions the child is likely to ask such as “who am I?” The adopted child is also entitled to a number of benefits. However, the experience for each adopted child is normally different based on the support he/she receives from both the biological and adoptive parent. The level of confidence and identity is usually placed at a higher level when the child obtains information concerning his family history and related information. This minimizes the occurrences of low self esteem which is likely to occur in closed adoption. The child also grows up clearly understanding that their biological parents love them and that they took the action of adoption at their best interest. Kate (1998), states that the child’s feelings of abandonment are minimized and differentiate between the birth and adoptive parents. Therefore, the initiative does not limit the chances of the adopted child to love. In summary, adoption is a common practice in the world and is usually carried out for a variety of reasons. As indicated earlier, there are two main forms of adoption: closed and open adoption. In relation to the two methods, open adoption is the most preferred due to the benefits that it carries along. It is clear that it normally benefits the three parties involved in the adoption process: the adopted child, the birth parents as well as the adoptive family. Most of the doubts that are likely to occur between the three parties are reduced and instead there is usually a peace of mind. Unlike closed adoption which inhibits involvement of the birth parent from the child, open adoption permits the biological parent to know and identify his/her child. However, the parent’s involvement with the child is usually dependent on the adoptive parent. Works Cited Berry, Marianne. "Risks and Benefits of Open Adoption." The Future of Children ADOPTION Vol. 3Spring 1993 133. 10 Sep 2008 . Kate, J. P. (1998). Is open adoption better than closed adoption? Journal of social sciences, 57 (3), 211-223. Myer, G. B. (2003). Adoption boom in the world. Retrieved December 1, 2009, from http://www.adoptionhelp.org/adoption boom/article_list.html Nicholas, D. O. (2006). Open adoption versus closed adoption. San Diego, CA: Academic Press. Reynolds, Kay “Open vs. Closed Adoption.”19 May 2006. 26th Aug 2008. Silber, Kathleen. "Benefits of Open Adoption." About Open Adoption. 2008. Independent Adoption Center. 26 Aug 2008 . Stein, C.E., & Glen, B. G. (2007). The spirit of open adoption in America. Journal of child Psychology, 42 (4), 12-24. Read More