| Most people are aware of what the process of | | | | the child through the form of letters and |
| adoption entails because it has become rather | | | | photographs, or there can be actual physical contact. |
| commonplace in our society. Adoption is where a child | | | | A semi-open adoption is where the birth parents may |
| is legally placed with guardians or parents (or perhaps | | | | have contact with the adoptive parents before the |
| a single parent) other than the birth mother or father. | | | | birth of the child, either once or several times. After |
| Once an adoption is finalized, any and all parental | | | | the birth there is no more contact. A semi-open |
| rights are turned over to the adoptive parents and | | | | adoption may remain as is or it can evolve into either |
| there is no legal difference between adoptive parents | | | | open or closed. |
| and natural birth parents. Types of adoption are | | | | A closed adoption is where only the medical and |
| typically categorized by effect; that is, a closed | | | | historical information of the biological parents is given |
| versus an open adoption. | | | | to the adoptive family. Typically, the birth and |
| When an adopted person has access to his or her | | | | adoptive parents do not know each others identities. |
| adoption file and original records, it is referred to as | | | | The record of the birth parents is kept sealed, and |
| an open adoption. The term is also used to describe | | | | often the name of the biological father is not |
| any contact there may be between the adoptive | | | | recorded, even on the original birth certificate. A |
| family, the birth parents, and the adopted child. The | | | | closed adoption is usually only effective in the |
| level of openness can vary greatly in such contact | | | | adoption of infants; the adoption of an older child |
| depending on each individual relationship. There can be | | | | who already knows his or her birth mother and |
| mediated contact between the biological parents and | | | | father cannot be kept closed. |