What is a stepparent adoption? • What is an agency adoption?

• What is an "open adoption"?An open adoption is one in which the adoptive parents agree to let the biological mother (and biological father) have some continued contact with the child after the adoption. This contact might be periodic visits or an exchange of pictures and other information between the adoptive family and the biological parent or parents. The nature of the contact is often specified in the adoption agreement. Open adoptions have become more common as more birth mothers have become involved with choosing which adoptive family will receive their child. But open adoptions are a relatively new phenomenon, and in many states it is not certain whether an open adoption agreement is enforceable by the birth mother. ... more