What Are Post-Adoption Contact Agreements?
Post Adoption Contact Agreements, commonly known as PACAs, are arrangements that allow contact and communication to remain within an adoption triad (Birthfamily, adoptive family, and adoptee) once the adoption finalizes. PACAs, also called open adoption agreements, can range from informal, verbal, mutual understandings between the birth and adoptive families to formal, written contracts. How formal or informal it is, depends on the state where your adoption finalization takes place.
States like Deleware and New Jersey do not have a legally enforceable post-adoption contact agreement clause. Any future contact agreement is morally binding for birth parents surrendering their parental rights and consenting to adoption under New Jersey or Deleware law and regulation. Open adoption agreements work slightly differently in other states. States like Virginia, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania have different qualifications but allow for legally binding, written contracts.
Why Owning Your Commitment Is So Important?
The process and journey to adoption are already emotional for all parties involved. It can be so unforeseeable and just a rollercoaster ride. Adding layers of inconsistency and broken promises on top of that could fundamentally alter the relationship between adoptive parents and birth parents, birth parents and adoptees, and even adoptive parents and adoptees. That isn’t beneficial for any parties involved.
It is important to remember why some birthparents choose open adoption. Some choose open adoption because having that open-door adoption may be vital to them. Keeping your adoption promise is crucial because PACA or no PACA, openness in adoption has proven to be the most effective in ensuring children grow up knowing the importance of who they are and where they come from.
At Adoptions From The Heart, regardless if the birthparent wants an open or “closed” adoption, we obligate every adoptive parent(s) to submit PACAs to the agency. Why? Because what may not be wanted upon placement may not be the case weeks, months, or years later. Clear boundaries, wants, and needs need to be set.
PACAs help families maintain uprightness and honor. However, for states where PACAs are not legally bound through written agreement, your verbal agreement should be treated equally. It’s hard to think that some still believe that adopting an infant is a blank slate when the truth is that even an infant can experience adoption traumas. The goal is to do what is best for the adoptee, and that means always keeping your word to each important person, piece, and aspect of their lives.
