Together they create an open adoption agreement that outlines the extent of their visits and ongoing involvement. In an open adoption, the birthparent has the peace of mind that her children are in a stable, loving home, and at the same time, she is insured that she will play an important role in her children's lives for as long as possible. The children are supported and loved by birth and adoptive parents alike as they transition into the home of the adoptive family. The second aspect of the Forever Families program is the facilitation of the grieving process for birthparents and their children. Counselors work with birthparents to resolve issues that arise due to the losses in their lives, specifically the loss of their children.
Counselors also use activities and play therapy to help the children address grief issues.
Both birthparents and adoptive parents receive training on helping a child through the grief process. One important part of the grieving and the healing process for birthparents and their children is the creation of a family legacy. Birthparents are encouraged to create mementos for the adoptive family to share with the children throughout their lives. An estimated 80,000 to 125,000 children will be orphaned nationwide due to AIDS by the end of 1999. While there is little information on how many children would be orphaned due to their mother's death from cancer, cancer is among the leading causes of death for women in their childbearing years, ages 25 - 44.