What exactly is an Open adoption?

a closed adoption is where the birth parents have no connection with the child once given to the adoptive parents right?
is an open one where the birth parents do have say in the child's life? or do they just visit the child? wouldn't this be much harder? wouldn't the birth parents be more likely to cause problems if they get attached to the child and want them back? maybe the child would want to move back with them to when he/she is older and the birth parents agree they want the child back, what can you say then? would the child resent your for not letting them go back with their birth parents?
Additional Details
wolf pack: i disagree completely with you, the adoptive parents are the childs real parents, the child is theirs. the adoptive parents were there to take the child in when the childs mother couldnt keep them, they feed & clothe that child and they give it love and cuddles, they sing/give comfort to the child when they are too scared to sleep and kiss their bruises when they fall. how can they not be the true parents? maybe they didnt give birth to the baby but they are the one's who took care of it and loved it when the birth mother did nothing for the child and just gave it away.

Bodhi

Open adoptions are when the thread of communication is left open between the First Mother and the Adoptive Parents/child. This can technically range from letters and pictures to phone calls to visits to being a part of the family. It's usually an agreement made early on in the relationship, but it can (and should) evolve over time according to the needs of the child.

Unfortunately, as someone already mentioned, it is not legally enforceable and therefore doesn't need to be adhered to by the APs. In some instances, the APs may feel this to be in the best interest of the child (if the FM is abusing substances, etc.) but - I'm speculating and generalizing here - probably results more from the APs feeling threatened, an inability to work out boundaries between the two parties, and the APs desire to contain their family unit.

Open adoption has shown over and over to be a healthy arrangement for the child. One look at any of the hundreds of adoption reunion sites will tell the sad story of closed adoption, and the pain that's felt by the adoptees who are searching for any nugget of information about themselves. You don't see hundreds of message boards of open adoptees complaining about having access to their personal information, their medical history, their heritage, etc :)

If the adult parties in the adoption triad agree that open adoption is in the best interest of the child, and are able to work out a mutually agreeable arrangement and commit to it, then open adoption can be successful and wonderful for the child. If one or both parties is unable to meet that commitment - the APs don't allow access, the First Mother doesn't keep in touch, or any number of other reasons - then it won't work.

Lori A

An opened adoption can be anything from pictures to visits. It depends on what arrangements are made and promises are kept between the parents. They are not enforceable and can be closed by the adoptive parents or just not adhered to by the first parents.

If done correctly a child is no more confused than any one else who has more than one parental figure. Any confusion can be explained if someone takes the initiative to do so providing all involved parents remain in contact and don't keep the child from the other parents or skip out on scheduled visits.

Upon turning legal age, anyone, adopted or not, can live with whom ever they choose. Before that, their adoptive parents have legal custody over them the same as any other parent.

Adoptive parents can not legally stop their adopted child from seeking reunion once the child is legal age. So it is best to address the issue of adoption as early as possible and work on maintaining a healthy relationship with the child regardless of whether they seek reunion or not.

Wolf Pack

Open adoption is where the adoptive parents and the birth mom interact and where the birth mom is "supposed" to get letters and information on how her child is doing in the hands of its fake parents. I'm sorry but just because you adopt doesn't mean the child is yours as you didn't give birth to it.
Sadly open adoptions are almost never enforced by local and state police and most of the time adoptive parents stop contact with the birth mom as soon as those papers are signed and finalized by a judge.

- G * Bug's Mommy -

an open adoption is where the birth parents are still in the childs life .. a lot of parents don't like that this kind of adoption because the child can become confused ..

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