Adopt a child

Jill Boyer, MSW Adoption and Foster Care expert, explains what open adoption is and how the relationship between adoptive and birth parents works
Open Adoption - What is Open Adoption & How Does it Work
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Adopt a child

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With open adoption, there is a continuum of openness and families and birth mothers are encouraged to select that particular amount of openness that they are realistically comfortable with. Most of the time now, birth mothers and adoptive applicants do meet and sometimes before the birth of the child, they will socialize – the adoptive family may take the birth mother to doctors’ appointments, they may talk over lunch or dinner as they get to know each other. It really humanizes the process for birth parents as well as for adoptive families. And birth mothers through this process are able to feel confident about the decision that they’re making and the family that they’re selecting. So it’s a mutual decision that’s agreed upon by both the birth parents and the adoptive family that this is the right match for both sides.

Jill Boyer, MSW Adoption and Foster Care expert, explains what open adoption is and how the relationship between adoptive and birth parents works

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Jill Boyer, MSW

Adoption & Foster Care Expert

Jill W. Boyer, MSW was born in Detroit, Michigan. She earned a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Michigan State University in E. Lansing and a Master of Social Work Degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Ms. Boyer has dedicated her 25-year professional life primarily to supportive services for children and youth.

Prior to coming to Vista Del Mar Child And Family Services in 2005, Ms. Boyer has directed two post-adoption projects at The Institute for Black Parenting in Los Angeles, served as the Director of the Emergency Shelter Care Facility at Children’s Institute International in Torrance, was Acting Director of the Upward Bound Program at Harbor College, and provided and coordinated therapeutic services to families in the CALworks program.

She feels a special connection to adoption and foster care. She brings her experience to the Foster, Foster-Adopt, Domestic Adoption and Intercountry Adoption Programs at Vista, as the Community Services Program Director.

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Transcription: 
With open adoption, there is a continuum of openness and families and birth mothers are encouraged to select that particular amount of openness that they are realistically comfortable with. Most of the time now, birth mothers and adoptive applicants do meet and sometimes before the birth of the child, they will socialize – the adoptive family may take the birth mother to doctors’ appointments, they may talk over lunch or dinner as they get to know each other. It really humanizes the process for birth parents as well as for adoptive families. And birth mothers through this process are able to feel confident about the decision that they’re making and the family that they’re selecting. So it’s a mutual decision that’s agreed upon by both the birth parents and the adoptive family that this is the right match for both sides.