Quick answer
The adoption triad refers to the interconnected relationship among birth parents, adoptive parents, and the adoptee. Open adoption isn't mandatory at Building Families, but the firm takes a triad-focused approach so the expectant mother, child, and adoptive parents can stay as connected as the expectant parent chooses.
What is the adoption triad?
The adoption triad describes the three parties most directly connected by an adoption: birth parents, adoptive parents, and the adoptee. Building Families believes in a triad-focused approach that keeps everyone’s experience and relationships in view, rather than treating adoption as a single transaction between two parties.
Is open adoption required?
No. Open adoption is not mandatory at Building Families. Instead, the expectant mother chooses both the adoptive family and the level of contact she wants before and after placement and is connected with a prospective adoptive family who has similar desires related to openness.
What language should I use?
Expectant and birth mothers are not “giving up” a child for adoption: placement means choosing a future for the child in a home they select. An expectant mother is pregnant and has made an adoption plan; a birth mother has given birth and chosen to place her child. The same timing distinction applies to biological fathers.
How does contact work before and after placement?
Expectant parents decide how much or how little contact they want with the adoptive family, both before and after placement. Building Families can facilitate that contact directly, or connect the parties for direct communication if that’s preferred. After placement, counseling remains available, and the relationship set out in the adoption plan continues.
Learn more for expectant parents and adoptive families, or contact us.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between an expectant mother and a birth mother?
An expectant mother is pregnant and has made an adoption plan; a birth mother has given birth and chosen to place her child for adoption. The same distinction applies to biological fathers.
Do I have to allow contact after placement if I don't want to?
No, the expectant parent decides the level of contact, from fully open to more limited, both before and after placement.
Can Building Families facilitate communication between the birth and adoptive family?
Yes. Building Families can facilitate contact directly or connect the parties so they can communicate on their own, depending on what the expectant parent prefers.
Is an open adoption agreement legally enforceable in South Carolina?
South Carolina law does not contemplate legally enforceable post adoption placement agreements. The agreement for post placement contact is between the birth parents and adoptive parents.
The information contained here is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.