Domestic Open Adoptions

(Nightlight maintains two Domestic Adoption Programs: one in Southern California, and the other in South Carolina. The information presented here is general and applies to both programs. For the specific details of the two programs, please download the program information packets on the main Domestic Adoption page.)

What varying degrees of contact are available in open adoption?

Open Adoption encompasses a broad spectrum of contact between the birth and adoptive family. The Child Welfare Information Gateway, http://www.childwelfare.gov/, has articles on open adoption that we suggest you read as you begin praying about what level of openness you are comfortable with. You may also want to look into adoption support groups in your area or go online to talk to families who have open adoptions, as most couples are apprehensive in the beginning when considering open adoption and become more comfortable as they become educated about what it means to your child, your family and your birthparents.

What is your agency’s philosophy about open and closed adoptions?

Our agency will only complete open adoptions as we believe it is the healthiest situation for all members of the adoption triad (i.e., birthparents, adoptee, and adoptive parents). We are open to creating a dialog and educating families who are apprehensive about open adoption. However, if after discussing the possibility of open adoption, you strongly feel that you would like to have a closed adoption, you may want to work with another agency.

Young woman with hands on chin, smiling

Why choose open adoption?

The purpose of open adoption is to comfort and encourage the birthparent with the knowledge of her child’s well-being. It provides answers for your child, minimizing their loss of relationships by maintaining and celebrating the child’s connections with all the important people in his or her life. Open adoption also empowers you in raising your child, by providing knowledge about your child’s birth family and their family medical history. During the homestudy, you will learn of the many positive aspects of open adoption and your social worker will discuss with you the contact arrangement you are most comfortable with. It is very important that you be honest and open with your social worker about the type of relationship you envision with your child’s birthparents before birth, after you bring your child home and throughout your child’s life.

If you have any additional questions that were not addressed, please send us a message using our contact form or give us a call. If you live near or in South Carolina, you can call our SC office at (864) 268-0570. Otherwise, call our CA office at (714) 278-1020.

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Nightlight Christian Adoptions is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) adoption agency, licensed by the states of California and South Carolina to provide adoption services, and is Hague Accredited through COA. Nightlight can perform adoption homestudies for residents of South Carolina and Southern California (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura counties).