Openness in adoption does not mean shared parenting. It is about maintaining positive, child-centred relationships. No matter where a child is adopted from, these relationships are part of a child’s identity. Open adoption allows you to know your child better and gives him a better understand of self. Openness is a spectrum and can be anywhere from fully closed to fully open where there is direct contact between biological families and adoptive families. Closed adoptions are becoming more rare but still occasionally take place.