Open adoption involves the sharing of identifying of information between the two families; the adoptive family and the birth family, typically, at the time of placement. Usually, some kind of plan for continuing contact after the placement is made. It can be an agency, an intermediary. Very often, it is direct contact by letter, by email, and visiting. Sometimes open adoption involves the child from the very beginning, sometimes it's not. It involves contact between both sets of parents and eventually, the child is brought into it. Research shows that open adoption, generally, benefits children, but not in every case. Every family needs to evaluate the circumstances, get to know the birth parents. Sometimes open adoptions become more open with time, sometimes they close temporarily. The important thing to remember is, if there are bumps in the road along the way, typically, families can work them out.