CT-AFS offers parents three (3) types of adoptions:

• Semi-Open Adoption
• Identified Adoption
• Closed Adoption

There are various types of adoption plans available to birth parents in Connecticut. Nowadays, most expectant parents who choose adoption decide on semi-open adoption. This means that you could decide to participate in choosing the adoptive parents for your baby. Our counselors can work directly with birth parents who live in Connecticut.

Semi-Open Adoption

If the birth parent chooses semi-open adoption, she can start by looking at albums prospective adoptive parents have made. We ask all of our adoptive parents to put together albums containing photographs of themselves, their families, their home, and activities they enjoy. They also write letters to birth parents for these albums. Once you choose an adoptive family, this album is yours to keep. You may ask to meet the adoptive parents at any point along the way. The meetings are done on a first name basis with your social worker, so that confidentiality is maintained. After the adoption takes place, adoptive parents can be asked to send pictures and written updates of the child to you through the agency.

In a Semi-Open Adoption, the Birth Parent may decide
how much or how little information
she wants to know about the Adoptive Family.

Closed Adoption

Some birth parents, however, do not want to become personally involved with the adoptive parents. Your social worker will listen to how you would like the adoption to be arranged. If you wish, CT-AFS will choose the adoptive family according to whatever specifications you have.

Identified Adoption

Once in a while, a birth parent knows a family that wants to adopt a child. This type of adoption is called identified adoption. It is called "identified" because the birth parents identify an adoptive family on their own. There are specific regulations that govern such adoptions. If you already have a family picked out, let your social worker know so that she can review these regulations with you and the adoptive parents.

Adoptions through an Attorney

An adoption done only by an attorney is the one type of adoption that is not legal in Connecticut. In Connecticut, an adoption agency such as CT-AFS must facilitate (arrange and complete) an adoption. An attorney may assist with the process if need be, but he or she must work with a licensed child-placing agency such as CT-AFS.

If a birth parent is under the age of 18, an attorney might be needed to assist the birth parent. The attorney is then appointed by the court to act as guardian-ad-litem for the minor birth parent.