In closed adoption process the infant is adopted by another family, usually without the natural and adoptive parents knowing each other, through an adoption agency acting as intermediary, under the adoption laws.
Closed adoption results from the natural mother or parents giving up all rights over the child and allows public or private adoption agencies, licensed by the state to conduct selection process for suitable adoptive parents and arrange for adoption. Here placement of the child in adoption becomes the domain of the concerned adoption agency to which the child is entrusted with, instead of the biological parents. Many states or jurisdictions allow closed adoptions.
Here there is no interaction between the adoptive and natural parents either before or even after adoption. The adoption agencies do not provide any identifying information either to the birth families or the adoptive families on each other. However, non identifying information like physical characteristics or medical history may be furnished.
The Uniform Adoption Act of 1994 shuts out from the adopted child information regarding the natural parents, by sealing adoption related official records for 99 years. Only a court order can enable such closed adoption records to be unsealed in exceptional cases. However, the adoption laws of some states or jurisdictions allow the closed adoption records to be opened once the adoptee turns 18.
Closed adoption has many advantages for natural parents. They can close the past relationships and move on with life afresh. Privacy is maintained. Moreover, there is no chance of confrontation with the child placed in adoption.
Similarly, closed adoption holds out many advantages for the adoptive families as well. The adopted child can be fully integrated with the adoptive family, without parental interference from the birth parents or co-parenting hurdles.
A closed adoption also protects the adopted child from emotionally disturbed birth parents.
| 
