- Birth Family Search
Blue Bayou (2021)
A Korean-American man raised in the Louisiana bayou works hard to make ends meet for his family. However, he must confront ghosts of his past when he discovers he could be deported from the US and sent back to South Korea.
- Birth Family Search
Off and Running (2009)
Avery, an African-American adoptee and track star with white Jewish lesbians for parents and two other adopted siblings begins to become more curious about her roots. Her curiosity about her African-American heritage grows and she decides to contact her birth mother. Avery’s life turns into a crisis and struggles over her “true” identity, her isolation from Black culture, and the circumstances of her adoption.
- Media
One Child Nation (2019)
This film includes the various diverse perspectives on the one child policy that China implemented in 1980, from the people who carried out the policy to the people who fell victim to the policy. This film is for anyone interested in learning about one of China’s biggest and most impactful planning initiatives. It’s an eye-opening documentary to give new perspectives and understandings of the causes and effects of the policy.
- Media
NCFA: Internships
A link that brings you to the NCFA Internship application. This is an unpaid internship located in Virginia.
- Media
Therapy Chat: “195: The Trauma of Adoption”
This episode considers how attachment trauma can affect adopted children and adoptive parents. The hosts also discuss how adoption can change relationships within a family and between the family and their community.
- Media
The Honestly Adoption Podcast: “What Are Post-Adoption Services And Why Do Parents Need Them?”
A 30 minute podcast where two adoptive parents host an interview and discuss the different post-adoption services that adoptive parents may need and how they can benefit by utilizing these services.
- Media
White Sugar Brown Sugar
A blog by a Christian mom about her adopted children. Although she doesn’t disclose names or faces out of respect, she describes her adoptions as domestic, transracial, and open
- Race Education
The Seattle Times: “Adoption across races: ‘I know my parents love me, but they don’t love my people’”
“Adoptee Angela Tucker discusses how she felt like a racial impostor growing up. She explains that she may have looked Black, but didn’t feel that way.”
- Media
Twisted Sisterhood
“A podcast for birth moms, by birth moms. Ashley Mitchell and Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard have a decade between their adoption placements. They address raw and real emotions and experiences, and have other birth mom guests on the show to join in on the conversation.”
- Media
NCFA: “Positive Practices in Transracial Adoption Parenting”
“In the article, an adoptee suggests parents bring up the topic of adoption first and work with their children to understand their feelings.”
- Media
Adoption Network: “Understand Your Adopted Child”
“This article explains how adoptees have felt loss and experienced trauma. Every adoptee experiences things differently, and this author brings their own perspective.”
- Media
NCFA: “Being a Birth Mom Changed the Way I Parent”
A birth mom reflects on giving up her first daughter to adoption, and giving birth to two children after.
- Media
NCFA: “What You Should Know About Choosing Adoption”
“This article has short drop down answers to FAQs relating to questions birth parents and parents looking to adopt may have about adoption.”
- Media
Adoption: The Long View Podcast
“The host Lori Holden is an adoptive mom herself and her children are in contact with their both parents. Lori explores and examines all different aspects of being a mom and an adoptive mom. While not everything she mentions may be agreed with by all parents, her lived experience may resonate more with parents than a clinical standpoint.”
- Media
Creating a Family: “Helping Your Adopted Child Handle Adoption Microaggressions”
“Short article that identifies different variations of microaggressions that are particular to adoption. It also teaches strategies to instill confidence and coping strategies for children when handling microaggressions.”
- Media
NCFA: “Is Anyone Out There?: Finding Support as a Birth Mother”
“A first person perspective from a birth mother on adoption, loss, and finding support after birth.
She explains the loss felt after placing her child for adoption, and how she found support by speaking with another mom experiencing the same feelings.”
- Media
The World I Live In: “I am a mother, grandmother and a birth mother”
A birth mother speaks on her decision to give up one of her children.
- Trainings
NCFA: “Educational Webinars for the Adoption Community”
These webinars by the National Community for Adoption cover a wide range of topics: post adoption, school based support for adoptees, Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA), LGBTQ competency for adoption professionals, as well as financing adoption. They have a library of on-demand webinars designed to meet the needs of today’s adoption professionals and offer supportive education to adoptive families.
- Trainings
Adoptive Families Association of BC: Adoption Education Program Online
“The AEP-Online program is designed to provide prospective adoptive parents with a strong foundation of knowledge for caring for their adopted child. This program fulfills the legal requirements for adoption education in British Columbia. The AEP-Online Foundations takes place over 15 weeks and covers the legal, social, and emotional aspects of adoption. Because the program is online, lessons are taught through a variety of media and assignments can be completed at your convenience.”
- Media
NCFA: “Talking to Adopted Children About Birth Parents and Families of Origin: How to Answer the ‘Hard Questions'”
Things adoptive parents should know relating to discussion about an adoptees birth family. The author argues adoptive parents must be open to discussing these things.
- Media
NCFA: “The Impact of Adoption on Teen Identity Formation”
This article explores the ways in which adoption can affect adolescents’ formation of identity.
- Trainings
NCFA Intercountry Adoption Journey
“Held through the National Council for Adoption, this 10-hour course fulfills the training requirements of countries that are party to the Hague Adoption Convention and provides a solid foundation for all prospective parents pursuing intercountry adoption.”
- Media
American Adoptions NEWS: “25 Helpful Resources for Transracial Adoptive Families”
A resource page with links to transracial adoption blogs and websites, books, FB groups, and more.
- Media
NPR: “White Kid, Black Family: Transracial Adoption”
“A Black father speaks about his and his family’s experience raising a white girl and transracial adoption.”
- Media
Rudd Adoption Research Program UMASS Amherst: “Promoting Adoptees’ Well-Being in Transracial Adoptive Families”
“An article with parenting suggestions designed to support and uplift transracially adopted children. It also contains a useful bibliography which features even more resources.”
- Race Education
NCFA: “The Adoptive Parent’s Responsibility when Parenting a Child of a Different Race”
“An article by the National Council for Adoption on the different ways adoptive parents can and need to support their children. This specifically discusses the issues, privileges, and challenges of adopting a child of a different race.
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- Race Education
Adoptive Families: “How to Be an Anti-Racist Adoptive Parent”
An article on how to actively challenge racism and discuss privilege, especially in the context of a multiracial family.
- Racial Identity
NBC News: “All-American, with one foot in China”
A short article perspective on the need for adoptive parents to educate their Chinese adopted daughters about racism, identity, and the reality of life in America.
- Media
AdoptUSKids: “Florida post-adoption support”
“A landing page for post-adoption support services available to families who live in Florida.”
- Media
“Raising Our Multiracial Family”
“A Black woman shares her story of raising her family of 4 children including one white, adopted son. Insta- @raisingculturesfamily , tiktok- @raisingcultures”
- Media
NPR: “A Mother Reflects On Privilege, Adoption And Parenting ‘Without Perfection'”
“NPR 37 minute listen as a white mom reflects on her life raising two adopted Black children and two biological white children, and how she became aware of her own white privilege. She also has a blog called Rage Against the Minivan.”
- Race Education
NACAC: “Transracial Adoption: Love is Just the Beginning”
“A first person perspective by Deb Reisner (North American Council on Adoptable Children member), mother to a family with a blend of African American, Native American, Latino, and European American races and cultures. She details the importance of listening to her children about their experiences with racism and family methods of externalizing racism.”
- Media
American Adoptions: “4 Unique Challenges Faced By Transracial Adoptees”
“An article on American Adoptions that examines 4 challenges that many adoptees will have to face (also included in race education).”
- Media
Creating a Family: “A Dialog Between an Adoptive Parent and an Adult Adoptee”
“The article is an adoptive parent sharing concerns and how reading adoptee voices scares her. In this blog, an adult adoptee responds section by section and addresses these fears while still asking that adoptee voices be listened to. While short and only one viewpoint, still a good starting point for scared adoptive parents to read.”
- Racial Identity
Angela Tucker: The Adopted Life
A workshop led by Angela Tucker, a transracial adoptee. Her website describes the workshop as the following: Adoptees of color who are parented by white people have different needs than their non-adoptive counterparts and are well-served by thoughtful attention to the intersectionality of race, culture and identity by all in their life – not just their parents. This workshop is fully customized and invites all of the people in that child’s life to come together for a 2-hour virtual workshop, facilitated by Angela. Families leave with a deeper understanding of how transracial adoptees grow through the development stages of racial awareness to racial identity, and practical skills for how to handle insensitive or racist remarks.
- Media
Adoption Associates: “Openness in Adoption”
“A short article offering suggestions mainly to prospective adoptive parents, but also current adoptive parents. It includes topics such as birth families, the search and reunion process, and maintaining openness.”
- Racial Identity
Children’s Bureau: “Parenting in Racially and Culturally Diverse Adoptive Families”
A PDF created by the Children’s Bureau and Child Welfare Information Gateway that explains relevant things adoptive parents should know, especially concerning transracial or culturally diverse adoptions.
- Racial Identity
Child Welfare Information Gateway: “Adoption by Family Type: Racially and Culturally Diverse Families”
“Landing page by Child Welfare Information Gateway with links to resources for adoptive parents looking for information on racially and culturally diverse adoptions.
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- Trainings
National Training and Development Curriculum (NTDC) for Foster and Adoptive Parents
“””The National Training and Development Curriculum (NTDC) is a new curriculum that is based on research and input from experts, families who have experience with fostering or adopting children, and former foster and adoptive youth. It provides potential foster or adoptive parents with the information and tools needed to parent a child who has experienced trauma, separation, or loss. It is a state-of-the-art classroom and online program that helps to prepare prospective foster and adoptive parents to be successful parents. In addition, the NTDC gives parents access to information and resources needed to continue building skills once they have a child in their home.
While not yet available, “The curriculum will be free and readily accessible to all states, counties, territories, child welfare agencies, tribal nations and adoption service providers in 2022.”
- Adoptee Groups
Adoptation
This is a peer support group on Facebook for adult adoptees (intercountry and domestic) in Australia. The goal is to talk about experiences and create a safe space for adoptees.
- Adoptee Groups
Adoptees Supporting Adoptees
This is a support group for adoptees to come and share their stories and know they are not alone in their adoption journeys. It is an online community for all adult adoptees that emphasizes non-judgmental discussion.
- Adoptee Groups
Adoptees of South America + Extended Latin Americas (ASA)
The group is a peer-centered group for adult adoptees from various regions of South America + the Extended Latin Americas. Their mission is to provide adoptees with spaces for connections, support, and encouragement at every step of their journey. Adoptees can connect through monthly Zoom calls and a private Facebook group.
- Adoptee Groups
Asian Adult Adoptees of Washington (AAAW)
Asian Adult Adoptees of Washington is a group dedicated to providing support to Asian adult adoptees in the state of Washington.They provide a welcoming community to new and current participants, a mentorship program for youth adoptees called the Adoptee Mentorship Program (AMP), educational opportunities for Asian/Pacific Islander adoptees, awareness of issues adoptees face, and allyship to adoptees of different nationalities and communities.
- Adoptee Groups
Korean Adoptees of Chicago (KAtCH)
This organization is for Korean adoptees in Chicago and is a private Facebook group. They offer community activities and is for adult Korean adoptees. They help provide services that support or are led by the Korean adoptee community.
- Adoptee Groups
Adoptees Connect
This is a peer-led connect group for adult adoptees. It is a safe space for adoptees to gather and share their experiences regarding their adoption journeys. There are groups across the US as well as international groups.
