One of the most significant changes I have seen over my career practicing adoption law is the change in attitudes towards post-adoption contact. “Post-adoption contact” means that a child’s biological parent or parents can have ongoing contact with your adoptive child after the adoption is finalized. Another term for this is an “open adoption.” Historically, it was quite rare for an adopted child to have any contact with their biological parent or parents post-adoption; now, however, open adoptions are common if not the norm.
Are you considering adopting a child here in Kansas? Post-adoption contact and open adoptions are just one of many issues to consider. Don’t let delay keep you from bringing a child into your home. Call McDowell Chartered at (316)-269-0746 to get the advice you need.
The Risks and Benefits of Post-Adoption Contact
As a society, we have moved beyond the point where biological parents and the adoption process are kept a secret from children. Now, open adoptions and post-adoption contact are understood to be healthy, especially as children begin to realize that they are adopted and become curious about their family. Research shows that open adoptions can help adopted children deal with common attachment issues that can be a struggle. When a family adopts a child from a different race, continued contact with his or her biological family can help the child understand culture and traditions that may foreign to the adoptive family.
On the other hand, biological parents often place children up for adoption because of drug and alcohol dependence, criminal behavior, instability, or mental illness. As a result, adoptive parents who want post-adoption contact have to be careful not to subject the adopted to disappointment, dangerous situations, or a bad influence. Similarly, adoptive parents do not want to deal with late-night surprise visits, requests for loans, or irresponsible biological parents that fail to live up to the child’s expectations or make promises that they cannot keep. Inappropriate comments such as “they stole you from me” or “I’ll get you back someday” can have a traumatic and confusing effect on a child.
The type and degree of post-adoption contact often depend on the biological parents’ ability to act responsibly. If they cannot consistently meet that expectation, communication may be limited to a birthday phone call or a yearly letter. On the other hand, if they demonstrate a patter of responsible contact, they may be allowed scheduled unsupervised visitation or be invited to join in family holidays.
Biological grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other family members can be included in the post-adoption contact agreement, especially in instances when the biological parents are not participants. In my practice, I often find that this is a good compromise when the parents themselves are not sufficiently stable to engage in visitation. The child receives ongoing contact with a stable family member who adores them, and there is no downside risk from irresponsible behavior from the biological parent.
What Should I Do If I am Considering Adoption in Kansas?
Working with the help of an experienced Kansas adoption attorney can help you successfully navigate the adoption process, including entering into a post-adoption agreement. You need to receive expert legal advice immediately and speaking with an adoption attorney is the first step to bringing a child into your home.
Call Tom McDowell at (316)-269-0746 now to discuss any one of many types of adoption with a full-service adoption firm.
