What is Semi-Open Adoption?

A Semi-Open Adoption is a hybrid – many years ago, all adoptions were “closed”, meaning neither party had any information about the other. Today, closed adoptions are no longer the norm. There is more openness in the process which provides all parties with some degree of comfort.

Beacon House Adoption Services follows a policy that is based on providing closure to the birth mother while still maintaining some degree of confidentiality as it relates to identity. Birth parents and adoptive families share certain information with each other through the agency and, if the parties so desire, a personal meeting with agency staff present.

The degree of openness in a semi-open adoption is pre-determined and agreed upon by both the birth parents and adoptive parents. Information that may be shared between the adoptive parents and birth parents may include: photographs, letters, adoptive parent profile book, demographics, or phone calls. Post-placement contact through semi-open adoptions is generally done through the agency and takes the form of letters, cards, pictures and updates.