Adoption

Openness in Adoption

Openness in adoption means there is some type of communication between birth and adoptive family. It recognizes the child's need to know his or her biological history; and the birth and adoptive parents need to show their love to the child of adoption.

Typically, birth and adoptive families meet, select each other, and work together toward the placement of a child. They plan for an ongoing, active relationship in which they will communicate with each other through letters, pictures, phone calls, emails, and /or meetings.

Open adoption recognizes that birth parents will never forget their children. It offers the opportunity for birth parents to have a voice in choosing their child’s future, to know their child is being raised in a warm, loving environment, and most importantly, to be connected to that child as he or she grows up. To be successful, every open adoption must be built on respect and trust, and all involved must be honest and candid with one another. 

It is important that the roles of birth parents and adoptive families are clearly defined. Open adoption is not shared parenting. There is a difference between being a child’s birth parent and parenting the child day-to-day. Open adoption is intended to serve the best interests of the child, and those interests should always be held sacred.

Openness in Adoption ...

• allows birth and adoptive families to mutually create their own unique adoption plan.
• allows communication between birth and adoptive parents. This communication can begin before the child is born, in order to facilitate a smooth transition for all parties.
• is practiced in degrees. It is not all or nothing, rather an opportunity to grow.
• allows for birth and adoptive families to begin to develop a relationship that may last a lifetime. As in any relationship, there are periods of change.

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Post-Adoption Search and Disclosure Services

Are you searching for your biological parent or sibling or for a child placed for adoption? The Village Family Service Center offers Post-Adoption Search and Disclosure Services to help adopted adults, birth siblings, and birth parents establish contact with one another that is mutually agreed upon. These services can also help adopted adults receive non-identifying information from the adoption record, such as physical descriptions of birth families and their education, interests, and health. Call 701-451-4900 or contact us online to learn more.

PLEASE NOTE: With the closure of Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota, The Village Family Service Center will handle search and disclosure services for LSSND clients. Records of these adoptions have been transferred to The Village for permanent storage. To learn more, read about the history of our partnership >

Types of Searches

Under North Dakota law, adopted adults 18 years of age or older may request non-identifying information from our agency records, and/or search for identifying and contact information. Genetic parents who terminated parental rights may request our agency to search for the child they released for adoption, once the adopted individual is 21 years of age. Birth siblings may also search once the adopted individual is 21 years of age, with the consent of the living, biological parent.

• A Non-identifying Information Search will provide you information from our records that was generally received at the time of the adopted individual’s birth, and may include such things as physical description of birth family, education, interests and health at the time of placement. 
•  An Identifying Information Search is requested when you wish to establish contact with your birth family/adopted adult, or you want to obtain updated medical information. We can serve as the intermediary and search for your birth family or adopted adult to see if they are open to contact with you. Our staff will assist you in mediating contact and establishing an exchange of information that is comfortable for all parties.

For more information or to request Adoption Search paperwork, call The Village Family Service Center at 701-451-4900. If you are a member of the adoption triad and wish to update your information with us, please fill out this form >

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