Kinship Adoption vs. Private Adoption in Kansas

Adoption in the modern age is not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. There are so many details and intricacies that you probably don’t know about if you’re new to the adoption community. The vast choices in adoption are also what makes it so great. Your situation is unique, and you deserve to feel confident in your decisions and never have to settle.

At Adoption Choices of Kansas, we work hard to find loving adoptive families for pregnant women facing unplanned pregnancies. However, we never pressure you into making that choice. Our goal is to support women and provide them with all of their unplanned pregnancy options and resources to make an informed decision. We’d love for you to choose to help hopeful adoptive parents make their family complete, but that may not be the best option for you. Adoption has many forms, and we want you to know you have options and choices. You know what’s best for you. We only want to arm you with all the knowledge you need when considering adoption.

When we talk about adoption types, we usually refer to open, closed, or semi-open adoptions. However, you may not be aware that there are other types of adoption as well. Let us explain. When you’ve decided to place your baby up for adoption, you don’t only have the option to place them with people you don’t know.

What is a Kinship Adoption?

A kinship adoption, also known as a relative adoption, is a type of adoption in which a family member takes parental custody. In a kinship adoption, only relatives by blood or marriage qualify for adoption; however, fictive kinship (not related by blood) adoption is allowed in some jurisdictions. In some situations, you may prefer to or need to have a grandparent, uncle, or other relative take custody of your baby, making it a kinship adoption. The relative you decide will legally adopt your baby and have full parental rights, just like in any other adoption. 

• Pros of a Kinship Adoption

• • You already have a connection to the person adopting your baby and already have built up trust. Since the prospective adoptive parent is usually immediate or close family, you may be able to see your baby more often.
  • Placing your baby with a family member takes away the stress of picking out an adoptive family.
  • Friends and family may see kinship adoption as more acceptable. However, do not make decisions based on anyone else’s reservations.    

• Cons of a Kinship Adoption

• • The kinship adoptive parent may have issues owning the caregiver role, and it can take a while for them to accept the parental role.
  • There may be parenting disagreements. It can be challenging to see kinship adoption as a valid adoption instead of co-parenting.
  • Having your child around a lot can make it difficult to mourn, grieve, and move forward.

What is a Private Adoption?

Private adoption, also known as an independent adoption, is the most common type of adoption. It’s where the pregnant woman voluntarily places her baby up for adoption and chooses an adoptive family to place them with. Private adoption is the most popular adoption route chosen for infant adoption today. Through it, pregnant women work with adoption agencies, like Adoption Choices of Kansas, to create a birth plan and get the resources they need during pregnancy.    

• Pros of a Private Adoption

• • You have the option of closed adoption and remain anonymous. If you’re in an unsafe situation, closed adoption may be best for you.
  • You have more control over the type of person you place your baby with.
  • You have the choice of how much contact you want. With kinship adoption, you may not have a lot of options like this.    

• Cons of a Private Adoption

• • Although you may pick out the adoptive family, you won’t know them and their parenting style as well as a family member.
  • You may face backlash from friends and family.
  • The adoptive parents won’t have as much access to your medical history as a family member, depending on the level of openness you choose to have.

Kinship Adoption vs. Private Adoption

We’ve said it a hundred times, and we’ll say it a hundred more, only you know what’s best for you. Look closely into your life and current situation and decide what option makes the most sense for you. Kinship adoption will work for some people but not for others, and the same goes for private adoption. Both have their pros and cons. There is no right answer, only what’s right for you.

When looking at kinship adoption vs. private adoption, the only advice we can give you is to know all of your options and trust your gut. The beautiful thing about adoption is that it is so diverse and allows pregnant women to give their baby a chance at life.

Adoption Choices of Kansas serves birth parents statewide and beyond, please call us or text us to learn more!
Call Us 877-903-4488 or Text Us 316-209-2071

Meet the Author: Michelle Brugioni is a practiced, well-versed college-educated writer and avid coffee drinker. She has ten years’ experience as a freelance writer, and has written for an alarmingly wide range of clients and publications. She has written on topics like: life science, biopharmaceutical company acquisitions, dealing with anxiety, and creative drinking games.

As a fearless writer and masterful researcher, each time Michelle is approached with the question, “Can you write this?” she responds confidently with, “When do you need it?”