- Community Connection
GLADNEY Center for Adoption: “What Do Adoptees Wish People Knew about Them?”
This article explains a few things that adoptees would like others to know about them. It describes how adoptees are similar to everyone else, how they are different, and encourages people to not assume things about adoption. This source can apply to and most benefit those who don’t know much about adoption but would like to learn further about it.
- Community Connection
Adopt a Love Story: “10 Needs Adoptees Want You to Know About”
This article explains ten common needs adoptees want others to know about, like that adoption is a lifelong journey, they need to claim their identity, and more. This source can apply to and most benefit spouses of adoptees who want to understand more about an adoptee’s identity.
- Birth Family Search
NPR: “I Found My Birth Mother. It Didn’t Rock My Life — And That’s OK”
This is a short narrative story about an adoptee’s experience of meeting her birth mother and her feelings about it. This story can apply to and most benefit adoptees who are wondering about an experience like this. It is important to remember that this short story is not meant to be discouraging but comes from a rather realistic point of view.
- Community Connection
Adopt A New Beginning: “Support Groups for Adoptive Families”
The Support for Adoptive Families, Birth Families, and Adoptees is part of the New Beginning community. The community provides multiple types of support groups including those for adoptive moms, adoptive dads, adult adoptees 25+, and youth adoptees 8-13 years old. As of now ¾ of the support groups are currently being held over Zoom even though the group is based in Boise, Idaho.
- Community Connection
NACAC: “The Value of Adoption Groups: Supporting Parents, Supporting Kids, Supporting Families”
An article by the North American Council on Adoptable Children that explains the role a support group can play in the lives of adopted children, their families, and parents. The article also covers how support groups can form and explains five different types of groups.
- Scholarships
Bankrate: “The 9 best scholarship search engines”
This article ranks the 9 best scholarship search engines and includes short summaries on them. While none are adoption specific, they can be useful in finding scholarships that are.
- Scholarships
American Adoptions: “College Scholarships for Adoptees”
This article American Adoptions article lists different scholarships available to adopted and fostered youth. The list is composed of various college based scholarships.
- Scholarships
SmartScholar: Scholarships for Chinese Students
A scholarship directory that features scholarships for Chinese Students with descriptions of the requirements, qualifications, award amount, date and links.
- Scholarships
goingmerry: “30 Valuable Scholarships for Asian American Students in 2023”
List of 30 scholarships for Asian American Students, with description that includes amount, provider, eligibility requirements, and application requirements.
- Community Connection
Heart of Adoptions, Incorporated: Support Groups
Heart of Adoptions is a private adoption agency designed to help create families through adoption. They offer a list of various support groups and accompanying descriptions, alongside ways to contact the groups.
- Community Connection
Adoption Support Alliance: Connection Groups
The Adoption Support Alliance brings together adoptive families from across the Charlotte region. They offer six groups, within three categories: therapist-led, community-led, or a mix of support and education known as support-ucation. Session donations of $20 are suggested, but all groups are “Pay What You Can” and members are encouraged to participate only whenever possible.
- Mental Health
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy: “Adoption”
This article explains how adoption, and the attitudes surrounding it have changed over the years. It explains different reasonings behind the decision to adopt, and how adoptive parents, like biological parents, love their children and want the best for them. The difference is that adopted children face different challenges that family therapy can help resolve or manage.
- Mental Health
North American Council on Adoptable Children: “Therapy Plays an Important Role in Adoptive Families’ Lives”
This article discusses the important role family therapy plays in adoptive families’ lives. It describes why therapy is important, and urges the reader to choose a therapist that is right for them.
- Mental Health
No Hands But Ours: “Preparing for Adoption: A Family Therapist’s Perspective”
An article on preparing for adoption by Ashley Yeager, a family therapist and Trust-Based Relational Intervention Practitioner. She incorporates a spiritual feel, and explains different steps for prospective adoptive parents to take.
- Media
Child Welfare Information Gateway: “Adoption and School”
“Landing page with links and resources for dealing with awkward questions/challenging classroom assignments when adoptees start schools.”
- Media
Considering Adoption: “5 Things the Spouse of an Adoptee Should Know”
This brief article by Considering Adoption touches on five different things spouses need to know and recognize. While not incredibly complicated or detailed, this article is a good place to start.
