Ohio Open Adoption Guide

Learn about choosing open adoption in Ohio.

Are you living in Ohio and considering making an open adoption plan for your baby? Open adoption is a positive choice for expectant/birth mothers who hope to have a relationship with their child and adoptive family after placement. Thanks to open adoption, birth mothers know that they are not saying “goodbye” forever—and this brings many women peace of mind. Open adoption enables you to choose the adoptive parents for your child and maintain an ongoing relationship with the family if you wish. If you are considering open adoption in Ohio, you will need to work with an open adoption agency that is familiar with local laws.

Adoptions With Love specializes in providing loving, thoughtful, and safe adoption plans for expectant/birth parents across the U.S.. Our dedicated staff works diligently nationwide to ensure women considering this path are met with compassion, respect, and care. We offer a full team of counselors, attorneys, and adoption professionals in Ohio who are ready to help you. Our Ohio adoption services are completely confidential and always free of charge to expectant/birth mothers. When you work with Adoptions With Love, you have the option to choose a closed adoption, open adoption, or semi-open adoption that falls somewhere in between.

What Does it Mean to Have an Open Adoption in Ohio?

Open adoption can take on many different meanings and can look different for every family. There is no one, “right” way to have an open adoption. To put it simply, open adoption means there is communication between birth parents and adoptive families. This communication can begin prior to the baby’s birth continue long after the adoption is complete. The form and frequency with which the two parties stay in touch can vary.

When you work with an open adoption agency (like Adoptions With Love), you can customize an open adoption plan that works best for you. For example, if you would like to receive text messages or emails with photos and updates once a year, that can be arranged. Once you have established a connection with the adoptive family – if you choose to meet them in person – you may decide that you would like to stay in touch with them over phone calls or virtual video chats. Your adoption counselor can help you decide what makes you comfortable and can facilitate the arrangement before putting it in an open adoption contract. The form and frequency for contact is up to you, and your adoption counselor can help custom design a plan that meets your needs.

The Benefits of Open Adoption in Ohio

Open adoption in Ohio is very common today, because of the benefits it offers to birth mothers, adoptive parents, and most of all, to children.

Many birth mothers today are open about expressing how much open adoption means to them. Carma, a birth mom who made her adoption plan more than 16 years ago, as a teenager, has this to say about adoption:

“…All these years later I can look back and find myself so very grateful for AWL, the adoptive parents who have taken extraordinary care of my daughter and also for the life I have been able to map out for myself. The decision to place my baby for adoption still stands as the most difficult decision of my life but it was also the best, for her and for me. I have so much appreciation for the life my daughter has and all of the opportunity that her parents were able to provide that I know I would not have been able to.”

Open adoption can help birth mothers cope and overcome the grief that they experience. Through open adoption, you can see that your child is growing up in a safe and stable home, and that they are well-cared for, by a family that loves them. As a birth mother, choosing open adoption also means you can continue to work toward your own personal and professional goals, without saying goodbye forever.

For children, open adoption also has many wonderful benefits. It allows them:

To develop a strong sense of identity
To build a deeper understanding of their cultural and ethnic heritage
The chance to connect with any other biological relatives
An understanding of why they were placed for adoption, which helps their relationships with birth parents down the road

How an Open Adoption Plan Works After Placement

In Ohio, the adoption process legally ends once an adoption is finalized, but – as we know in the adoption community – the journey never really ends. It becomes a part of life for all birth and adoptive families.

Before finalizing the adoption, an agency will finalize the details regarding the adoption plan. Whether you and the adoptive parent(s) have decided to exchange letters, emails, phone calls, etc., you will see it all in writing. . help navigate changes to the plan as needed.

The attorneys that work with Adoptions With Love in Ohio are well-versed in the legal proceedings and rights and can help you – free of charge.

Free Services for Ohio Open Adoptions

As mentioned, choosing to work with Adoptions With Love means having access to free, in-person sessions with licensed attorneys and experienced counselors specially trained in Ohio adoption. The attorneys assist expectant/birth mothers with important legal requirements and all these professionals are here to help guide you through this process every step of the way. They can educate you on your rights as a birth mother, listen to your concerns and wishes, and ensure you are comfortable at every stage of this long and emotional journey.

The attorneys and counselors in our Ohio network are chosen not only because of their knowledge and experience, but also because they are compassionate, sensitive, and understanding. At Adoptions With Love, we work tirelessly to provide the emotional support expectant/birth moms need throughout the adoption. If needed, we can also help you with living and maternity related expenses.

A Flexible Adoption Agency for Your Open Adoption

Working with an open adoption agency means having options. If you choose to work with Adoptions With Love, you can:

Personally pick the adoptive family for your child
Choose when and where to meet the family before and/or after birth
Decide the form and frequency of ongoing communication for the open adoption
Choose to maintain a close relationship with your child’s adoptive family
Continue free counseling services at Adoptions With Love, where you are always a part of the family
Choose to make changes to the open adoption agreement, if needed

At Adoptions With Love, the adoption you design is yours. You are the only one who can make this decision. You can make it with the love and support of Adoptions With Love, but you are never pressured, judged, or criticized for any decision you make. You are in control of this adoption plan. You have a group that is in your corner, that wants to make sure every decision made is one with which you feel comfortable.

It is Never Too Late

Whether you just found out that you are pregnant or you have already given birth, it is never too late to place your baby for adoption in Ohio. At Adoptions With Love, we maintain close relationships with specialists across Ohio and we can send a professional straight to your door – even in your hospital room.

According to Ohio’s adoption laws, birth mothers may not sign any legal documents agreeing to the adoption until at least 72 hours after the child’s birth. This gives you time to meet your child and consider your decision before signing the legal papers.

The term “giving baby up for adoption” is still something that is used in everyday conversation, although it is an outdated and incorrect one. Placing your baby for adoption is anything but “giving up.” Making an open adoption plan is a thoughtful, loving, and brave decision. It does not mean saying goodbye forever, as it keeps the window open for a relationship down the road. You deserve to have the support you need during this challenging time, and we are here for you, whatever you need.

Open adoption is a positive choice for many expectant/birth mothers and their children. You can find out if adoption is right for you by reading more about the pros and cons here. Or you can reach out to Adoptions With Love for support and answers about open adoption in Ohio.

If you are looking for an adoption agency with a long record of caring and compassion that has been serving Ohio for more than 36 years, contact Adoptions With Love. You may text us confidentially at 617-777-0072 or message us online. Our staff is here to answer your call any time of day or night, any day of the week.

Open adoption was the greatest decision of my life. His family has become my family and the pictures I get give me not only peace of mind, but also a big smile. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.” - Kaitlin