Open Adoptees
At Open Adoption & Family Services (OA&FS), we are always excited to hear from open adoptees, the children of open adoption. We love to hear your opinions and thoughts in general. So don’t hesitate if you have something to share! If you are not on our mailing list and would like to be, please call us at 1-800-772-1115 or email us at information@openadopt.org.
We strive to provide OA&FS open adoptees with all the services we can and frequent opportunities to connect with other open adoption families in our growing community of over 2,000 birth and adoptive families. Below are resources we offer OA&FS open adoptees.
Hear from the First Generation of Open Adoptees
When our nonprofit was founded 26 years ago by social worker Jean Ettinger and adoption attorney John Chally, the world was just beginning to realize how openness in adoption benefited all members of the adoption constellation, but most especially, adopted children. We were the first and at that time, the only, adoption agency in the Pacific Northwest dedicated to planning open adoptions. Since 1985, we’ve planned over 1,200 open adoptions and today, most domestic adoptions in the United States strive to maintain some level of openness (learn more at: Opening Adoption: A National Trend).
The first generation of children placed through our agency are now adults, who tell us firsthand how growing up in an open adoption benefited them. We are grateful to the many OA&FS open adoptees who volunteer to share their perspectives and experiences. To learn how openness in adoption can benefit the children of open adoption, please check out resources on our site, including:
- About My Open Adoption by Ariel, an OA&FS Open Adoptee
- Open Adoption Stories by Open Adoptees
- How to Create a Child-Centered Open Adoption
OA&FS Resources for Open Adoptees:
- Counseling: Need someone to talk with about adoption issues and how they have impacted your life? OA&FS provides free adoption-related counseling and referrals to all children of our clients. Please contact us at 1-800-772-1115 to speak with an adoption counselor.
- Mentors: Do you have something on your mind that you would rather talk to a fellow open adoptee about, rather than an OA&FS counselor? No problem! Please call or e-mail the agency so we may connect you with a mentor in your age range. If you’re interested in serving as a mentor for other OA&FS open adoptees, let us know!
- Community: You’re invited to attend annual community events for OA&FS open adoptees, adoptive parents and birthparents. To receive your invitation, please join our mailing and email list. Please contact us (information@openadopt.org) to subscribe or update your contact information.
- Newsletter: Do you have something to share? If you’d like to contribute to OA&FS newsletters, please contact our Marketing and Development Director. We’d love to have you involved!