Adoption is a legal process by
which a child is placed with a married couple who agree to raise her as
their own child and assume all responsibility for her. The adoption
process begins when a pregnant woman or a couple in a relationship
decide they are unable to raise their unborn child. Adoption can be of
different types depending on the effect of the adoption on the birth
mother and the adoptive parents. Adoption also differs depending on the location of both parties.
Open Adoption
In an open adoption, the adopted child can access the records relating
to her adoption. Access is generally granted when the child reaches
adult age-18 years in most countries. In an open adoption, the birth
mother can also have access to the child, even after adoption. She is
allowed to visit the child, communicate with her, etc. However, this
depends on both the parties. Another feature of an open adoption is
that the mother may meet prospective adoptive parents and decide which
couple should adopt her baby.
Semi-Open Adoption
A semi-open adoption is similar to an open adoption, except
that the birth mother does not have any physical contact with the child
after adoption. Prior to the adoption, the mother is permitted to meet
the adoptive parents. After the child is placed with them, she may
continue to receive letters and photographs of the child, either
directly or through the adoption agency she registered with. This may
be for a few years or until the child reaches adulthood. At any point,
a semi-open adoption may evolve into an open or closed type of
adoption.
Closed Adoption
Closed adoption refers to an adoption process where there is
absolutely no contact between the mother and the adoptive parents,
neither before nor after the adoption. A closed adoption can occur by
choice or according to the adoption laws in the country. Most closed
adoptions permit the sharing of relevant information such as medical
records. In some adoptions though, there is a strict enforcement of the
rule, and no records are shared at all. This also happens when a child
has been removed out of an abusive surrounding and is then put up for
adoption.
Intra-Family Adoption
Adoption can be undertaken even within a family. Intra-family
adoption commonly refers to a child being legally adopted by a
step-parent, after the biological parent has remarried. An intra-family
adoption may also occur when the child's parents die or are incapable
of caring for the child. At this stage, an eligible family member may
step in and offer to adopt the child. The advantage of an intra-family
adoption is that the child is not completely uprooted from her culture
and surroundings. This is especially important for older children.
Domestic Adoption
A domestic adoption refers to an adoption involving a mother and
adoptive parents who are citizens of the same country. This type of
adoption may also be referred to as intra-country adoption. In this
process, a couple wishing to adopt a child will register themselves
with a government-recognised agency. After registration, their personal
details will be checked, and the investigating officer will certify if
they are eligible to adopt a child.
International Adoption
As the name implies, international adoption
refers to placing a child with an adoptive family who are citizens of
another country. Not all countries permit international adoption.
Countries that do allow this type of adoption have very strict rules
and regulations governing the adoption. In India, for example, domestic
adoption is given first priority. In the case of an international
adoption, non-resident Indians (NRIs) or persons of Indian origin
(PIOs) are preferred to foreign nationals. The adoption process for an
international or inter-country adoption also takes longer than that for
a domestic adoption.
