Legal Definitions - confidential adoption

Confidential adoption is a type of adoption where the identities of the birth parents and adoptive parents are kept private. It is also known as closed adoption.

Adoption is a legal process where a parent-child relationship is created between two parties who are not related by blood. This relationship is established through a court order after it has been determined that the child is an orphan, has been abandoned, or the parental rights of the birth parents have been terminated.

Confidential adoption means that the birth parents and adoptive parents do not have contact with each other and their identities are kept confidential. This type of adoption is usually preferred by birth parents who want to keep their decision to place their child for adoption private.

For example, if a teenage girl becomes pregnant and decides to place her child for adoption, she may choose a confidential adoption so that her family and friends do not find out about her pregnancy and decision to place her child for adoption.

Another example is if a couple is unable to have children and decides to adopt, they may choose a confidential adoption so that their child does not have contact with the birth parents.

Overall, confidential adoption is a way for birth parents and adoptive parents to keep their identities private and maintain a level of anonymity in the adoption process.