Adoption Terms and Language

Julie McGue

Author

When I first started thinking about finding my birth mother, I began by perusing the Internet. Even as an adoptee, some of the phrases on the search sites, forums and registries were foreign to me. If you’re just diving into the world of adoption, you will find my cheat sheet for adoption terms and language invaluable.

The ‘What’

Adoption: A permanent, legally binding action whereby persons other than the biological parents assume the responsibilities of bringing up the child as their own. Other related terms: adopted, surrendered, and relinquished.

Confidential or Closed Adoption: An adoption where there is no contact between the biological parents and the adoptive parents. Often the documents are sealed by judge’s order and a redacted birth record is produced.

Domestic Adoption: An adoption that involves adoptive parents and a child that are U.S. residents.

International Adoption: An adoption that involves adoptive parents and a child that is from a country other than the United States.

Foster Care: a situation in which for a period of time a child lives with and is cared for by people who are not the child’s parents (Merriam Webster dictionary).

Open Adoption: An adoption that involves the disclosure of identifying information between the biological parents and the adoptive parents. Both parties agree upon the amount and types of contact that will be allowed once the child is placed in adoption.

Semi-Open Adoption: This type of adoption occurs when the potential biological parents share non-identifying information with the adoptive family. A third party like an adoption agency or an attorney facilitates this process.

The ‘Who’

Adoptee: A person who joins a family by adoption. Called a birth daughter/son or birth child, adoptive son/daughter or adopted child.

Adoptive Parent(s): A person or persons who become the legal parents of an adopted child. Other terms: adoptive mom/dad, A-mom/dad, adoptive family. (An adoptee might refer to them as the family that raised me/ the family in which I grew up.)

Birth Parent(s): Birth parents or First parents – The parents who conceived a child and relinquished their parental rights to the child. Also called the biological parents, birth mother/father, birth mom/dad bio-mom/dad, and b-mom/dad. As a group: birth family, birth relatives, and birth sister/brother or birth siblings to denote biological family members.

Adoption Triangle or Triad: the parties directly related to an adoption are the adoptee, the adoptive parent(s), and the birth parent(s).

Adoption Agency: An organization that is licensed by a particular state to prepare families to adopt children. Agencies undertake the legal, administrative and social work as it relates to adoption.

Confidential Intermediary: A CI can be a governmental employee, a social worker, or someone who has been trained for the role. Duties can include gathering and requesting information, reaching out to members of the adoption triangle on behalf of another member, and facilitating contact with one another.

Facilitator: An individual that is not a licensed adoption agency or attorney, and facilitates the matching of biological parents with adoptive parents.

Search Angel: Adoption search angels assist adoptees in locating birth family. Many search angels are adoptees, understand the available search avenues, and offer their experience and skills to aid the adoption community.

The ‘Wherefores’

Adoption Order: The court document finalizing an adoption. It states that the adoptee is the legal child of the adoptive parents.

Adoption Plan: The unique plan that biological parents set forth for the adoption of their child.

Birth Certificate (also called original birth certificate-OBC- or original birth record-OBR): This is the certified document attesting to a child’s birth. It includes the name given to the child at birth, the identities of both the mother and father, and the hospital where the child was born. When the adoption is finalized, the original birth certificate is redacted, replacing the birth parent’s names with those of the adoptive parents. The original birth certificate is then sealed. State policies vary regarding the confidentiality of the sealed documents.

Finalization: The court hearing that certifies the order of adoption, whereby the adoptive parents become the legal parents of the adopted child.

Home study: A three-part process required for foster care or adoption. In the first phase written materials are gathered, including autobiographies, references, medical reports, financial statements, and background checks. In the second phase, social workers conduct home visits and conduct personal interviews of the applicants. In the third phase, the prospective parents receive education regarding adoption and parenting. The licensed agency completes a document that summarizes the applicants’ family life and indicates whether they are approved for adoption. Often it is updated annually.

Placement: A term used to denote the time when the adoptive parents receive the child into their home.

Revocation of Consent: When a biological parent revokes their intent to allow their child to enter into an adoption. The child is returned to his/her custody.

Surrender: The legal document signed by the biological parents, placing the child with an adoption agency. Also called “relinquishment” or “consent.”

Other Frequently Mentioned Terms

Baby Scoop Era: From post WWII (1945) through the 1970s, as many as 4 million children was placed in adoption.

Adoption Forum: An online site to share information about adoption views, practices and experiences.

Adoption Search and Reunion Registry: Usually an online organization that facilitates reuniting adoptees with their birth families, often for a few and with varying results.

Denial of Contact: The term that indicates a member of the adoption triangle chooses not to engage in any connection or any sharing of information with another member.

Genetic Genealogy: Using DNA testing, ancestry or genealogical assistance to connect with lost or missing family members.