Adoption is a highly specialized field that focuses on placing children with families and providing services to ensure that these placements are permanent. In recent decades, the emphasis of adoption practice has shifted from helping families find children to finding safe and permanent families for children. This book includes: true stories of synchronicity in adoptions from infant placement to adult reunion. Discusses changes in adoption from secrecy to open adoption. Infant placements, foster care, international and older child adoptions are included. Reasons are given for changes in adoption practice over four decades.

Adoption is a process that can require both time and patience. This guide helps you efficiently handle all steps in an adoption case, from consultation through finalization. Jennifer Fairfax, an experienced adoption attorney covers the primary types of adoption, both domestic and international, and examines the full range of issues impacting the adoption process, including the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children, special needs, adult, and stepparent adoptions, financing and tax issues, open records, and wrongful adoption.

How are adoptions arranged? How far do the present adoption service really meet the needs of the adoptive family? Originally published in 1966, these are the questions examined in this searching investigation – at the time one of the few to be undertaken since legal adoption was introduced in this country in 1926. The scope of the survey is comprehensive for every type of adoption is included: those arranged by societies, by local authorities, by relatives and private individuals. Each step in the process is described and appraised both from the angle of the agencies and of the adopters. The careful analysis of agency policy and practice and the compelling accounts of the adopters’ experiences and attitudes makes this report of particular interest to anyone concerned with the development of this branch of the social services and its history. The writer had extensive and varied social work experience, both in the statutory and voluntary field, and had herself arranged adoptions.

Experts representing practitioners, researchers, advocates, and triad members, explore the similarities and differences between adoptees placed as infants and as older children. The book promotes better integration of theory, practice, policy, and research in working with clients who are members of the adoption triad: adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive families. For the first time, the separate practice areas are bridged, pointing out the significant overlap between the two populations and the similar interventions that can be used when working with adoptees regardless of their age at placement. Developed as a resource text for practitioners, researchers, students, and adoptive triad members, the first chapter provides an overview of the clinical and practice issues. Next the work presents issues surrounding infertility, and explores identity development with a following chapter on search and reunion issues. The fifth chapter discusses adoption support, both historically and with current developments and issues. The work then examines ethics and offers a model for ethical adoption practice. The final chapter explores treatment issues from a family systems perspective.

This compassionate book brings together for the first time issues about infertility and adoption. Fifteen to 20 of all married couples in the United States are infertile, and most people have intense psychological and emotional reactions to the experience of infertility. Infertility and Adoption provides a clear understanding of the historical and social context of infertility, its emotional impact, and the process of coping with infertility. A prototype for conducting psychosocial assessments with infertile couples is provided. Practitioners, researchers, and administrators will learn about the latest trends in preparing adoptive parents for the arrival of their child. The multidisciplinary appeal of this book will reach professionals in social work and mental health and better prepare all of those who work with the growing number of individuals touched by infertility.

This book focuses on adoptive families after the legal finalization of the adoption has taken place. The authors, Susan Livingston Smith and Jeanne A. Howard, incorporate the findings of their own unique research project on troubled adoptive families with other empirical research, theory, practice, and knowledge. This volume is rich with case examples, detailed case histories, presentations of various practice strategies, and resources. The overall result is a stand-alone volume offering a clear and well-documented overview of the topic. It will be invaluable to social workers and other professionals working with children and families.