Here is a list of terms you will find throughout the American Adoptions web site. Refer to this section if you find a term that you are unfamiliar with.

Adoption – legal process where parental rights are transferred from birth parents to adoptive parents.

Adoptive Family Specialist – the adoption professional who educates, supports and provides guidance to the adoptive family during their adoption process.

Adoptive Parent – person who legally assume parental rights and responsibilities for adopted child.

Adoption Triad – the three parties involves in an adoption: adoptee, adoptive parents and birth parents.

Bi-Racial Adoption – mixed heritage of two different races; usually African American and another race.

Birth Parent Specialist – the adoption professional who educates, supports and provides guidance to the birth parents throughout the adoption process.

Birth Father – biological father of a child who is adopted or planning to be adopted.

Birth Mother – biological mother of a child who is adopted or planning to be adopted.

Closed Adoption – adoption in which confidentiality of both adoptive parents and birth parents are protected under the law; the courts seal all records.

Consent – the legal document signed by the birth mother and father allowing their child to be placed for adoption. If the birth parent is unavailable, the counts can validate the consents without the birth parents’ signature, also referred to as a surrender or relinquishment.

Disruption – an adoption or potential adoption that fails after placement has occurred prior to finalization resulting in the child being returned to the birth parents or adoption agency.

Finalization – court action that grants permanent legal custody of a child to the adoptive parents.

Foster Adoption Placement – foster placement of a child with adoption being the final goal, once all legal requirement have been met. The couple must be certified as suitable to adopt with their home licensed as a foster home. There is no assurance that placement will evolve into adoption.

Foster Care – substitute parental care for a short, extended or permanent period of time for a child whose biological parents cannot provide proper care.

Foster Parent – state-licensed adult who is paid or volunteers to take care of children, but is not related by blood, marriage or adoption.

Home Study – a study that is conducted on all prospective adoptive parents by an authorized adoption professional in their state. A home study is normally completed prior to placement of a child in the home. It validates suitability to adopt for the courts. A negative home study evaluation, while rare, usually means the adoption will not be authorized.

Infertility – the inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term.

International Adoption – adoption of a child born outside of the United States.

Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC) – the legal compact between states that allows for the placement of children for adoption across state lines.

Living Expenses – expenses in an adoption that help the birth parents’ with items such as rent, food, clothing and utilities. Living expenses are provided by prospective adoptive parents are provided based on birth parents’ needs and state laws.

Match – when a birth mother and adoptive family are connected via American Adoptions in anticipation that the birth mother will place her baby with the adoptive family.

Medical Expenses  - any expenses in an adoption related to the prenatal care, birth of the baby, care for the baby in the hospital, etc. Medical expenses may be covered by insurance, but prospective adoptive parents may also be responsible for some or all of the medical bills.

Multi-racial – refers to a child that has heritage of two or more races.

Non-Identifying Information – the medical and social history along with other information exchanged between birth parents and adoptive parents without using names, addresses or other identifying information of both parties.

Open Adoption – an adoption where birth parents and adoptive parents meet, names and addresses may be exchanged and communication may continue indefinitely; terms of open adoptions vary greatly depending on the needs and comfort levels of everyone involved.

Picture and Letter Agreement/Contract – the agreement that an adoptive family signs stating they will send pictures and letters to the birth parents for at least 18 years.

Post-Placement Visits – meetings and interviews with an adoptive family once a child has been placed with them that is typically conducted by the professional who completed the home study.

Private Adoption Agency – non-governmental agency licensed by the state to provide adoption services, primarily dealing with infant adoptions.

Public Adoption Agency – governmental adoption agency or social services department providing adoption services, primarily dealing with older children in foster care.

Relinquishment – legal act by which birth parents consent to an adoption and give up all legal rights to a child so an adoption can take place. It may also be called consent or surrender.

Semi-Open Adoption – adoption where adoptive family and birth parents may talk, meet and have correspondence after the adoption, but little or no identifying information is exchanged.

Social Worker – a professional licensed by a state board who completes home studies, works with birth parents and adoptive families in adoption situations.

Special Needs – a child with an illness, or a physical or mental handicap.

Termination of Parental Rights – The legal process which involuntarily severs a parent’s right to a child.

Transracial Adoption – Refers to the adoption of a child who is of a different race than the adoptive parents. Most often refers to adoption of African-American children by Caucasian parents.

For a full list of adoption terms, visit:

Adoption Glossary