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Openness in Adoption: Building Relationships Between Adoptive and Birth Families https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/f-openadopt/ Describes open adoption, which allows adoptive parents, and often the adopted child, to interact with the child?s birth parents or family. To support adoptive families in considering and maintaining open adoption, this factsheet describes various levels of openness, potential benefits, important considerations, and tips for building and strengthening open relationships. Open adoption is becoming increasingly common, in part due to a growing recognition of the potential benefits of allowing an adopted child or youth to establish or maintain connections with his or her birth family. |



Table of Contents
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Introduction
What Is Open Adoption?
Trends Toward Increasing Openness
Benefits of Open Adoption
Deciding Whether Open Adoption Is Right for Your Family
Building and Maintaining Relationships With Your Child’s Birth Family
Using Social Media for Contact With Birth Families
Resources for More Information
Suggested Citation: Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2013). Openness in adoption: Building relationships between adoptive and birth families. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children's Bureau.
This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway.