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