Open or Closed Adoption – In a closed adoption, the birth parents and the adoptive couple do not know each other and do not meet during the entire process. In an open adoption, both parties meet before the birth and continue to have contact on varying levels after the adoption. They know names and addresses for each other. Adoptions can run anywhere in the middle as well, with both parties knowing first names and not having any identifying information or whatever is comfortable for them. How open or closed an adoption is handled is usually determined by the birth parents, but must be agreed upon by the adoptive parents as well.
Domestic or International Adoption – A domestic adoption is one that takes place in the United States or one of its territories. An International adoption is when an individual or couple from the United States chooses to go to a foreign country to adopt a child or children.
Newborn or Older Child Adoption – Many couples who are not able to have children of their own biologically wish to adopt newborn infants to raise as their own from birth. Many individuals and couples who either can’t have children of their own or who choose to add to their family want to adopt an older child or children, most often who are in the custody of a state agency. Some families want to adopt one child while others are interested in adopting sibling groups of children.