need to learn about open adoption

Welcome Tara, I highly recommend you get in touch with Brenda Romanchik at Open Adoption Insight (google it). Brenda's an adoption educator. Good books to read: The Open Adoption Experience by Lois Molina Dear Birthmother by Kathleen Silber In a nutshell, open adoption is defined as an adoption where all parties are identified to each other and there is ongoing post-placement contact. Openness ranges from very limited - first names only, communication goes through an agency or attorney - to integrated - where adoptive and birth families consider each other as part of their extended families and little to no distinguishing is made. Most agreements fall somewhere in-between. In a few states, contact agreements are legally enforcable. In most, though, they operate strictly on faith and trust. While many will talk about benefits to the birth or adoptive parents, open adoption is really about benefiting the child - adoptee. It's about the child having access to the same information about themselves as any child born, and about de-mystifying the reasons for their placement. HTH Regina