Filters
Search
Categories

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.

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.

Wayfinder Family Services

Post adoption resource webpage by Wayfinder Family Services. Lilliput offers support groups, classes, and social events for families in 19 counties throughout Northern California. Lists out post-adoption service locations and lists out some thoughts in how post-adoption services can help

Haiti Scholarships

From Haiti Scholarships, an organization geared towards Haitian Scholars who currently live in Haiti, this source gives some scholarship resources to Haitians who live in the U.S. There are about 5 sources to read about.

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.com: Scholarships by Ethnicity

Filtered from Scholarships.com, this source is students who are looking for scholarship opportunities that are based on their ethnicity. You can filter through region and country.

Child Welfare Information Gateway: “Parenting Your Child With Developmental Delays and Disabilities”

A basic overview on identifying a disability in children, the first steps parents can take to address their child’s needs, and strategies for parenting.

Family Resource Center on Disabilities

The Family Resource Center is dedicated to “Providing Parents of Children with Disabilities with Information, Training, and Assistance.” Their resource page contains 20 categories on varying subjects for parents of children with disabilities and is available in Spanish.

Supportiv: “Mental Health Resources For Disabled People”

This is an ever-growing menu of free resources and ideas for maintaining health with a disability. It discusses insurance, therapy, government programs, and nature programs.

Child Welfare Information Gateway: “Adoption”

Resources on all aspects of domestic and intercountry adoption, with a focus on adoption from the U.S. foster care system. Includes information for adoption professionals, adopted adults, expectant parents considering adoption, birth parents and relatives, and prospective and adoptive parents on a broad range of adoption topics.

AAC: “State by State Support Groups”

The American Adoption Congress offers a list of support groups in the United States and Canada including name, location/state, meeting times, and contact information. The group’s members can include both adopted adults and birth parents, others welcome anyone impacted by adoption, and a few are open exclusively to adoptees or birth parents.

Gladney Center for Adoption: Adoption Forums

Adoption Forum is an online community forum containing many different threads relating to various aspects of adoptions. Larger categories include adoptive parents, foster care, special needs, adult adoptees, and more. Each category contains multiple subcategories where people can interact with each other and ask/answer questions.

NACAC: Find a Parent Group

The North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) offers a search directory that allows people to filter by many different categories in order to find support groups in both the US and Canada. There are around 26 categories that include but are not limited to single parent, birth parent, pre-adoption, and post-adoption. The directory can also be searched alphabetically.

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.

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.

Adoption Network: “How to Find Support Groups for Adoptive Parents”

This article explains the benefits of parent support groups for parents of adoptees. It includes a section on single parents as well as on couples, and provides a few starting links for those looking.

Capital Adoptive Families Alliance (CAFA): Support Groups

Capital Adoptive Family Alliance (CAFA) provides a page on the importance of support groups and links to their own support group. The CAFA Support Group offers general support to parents and caregivers raising their adoptive (or soon to be adoptive) children. The support group meetings are free, parent-led, and meet every 4th Thursday.

Adoption Family Support Network (AFSN): Post Adoption Support

The Adoptive Family Support Group gives adoptive parents access to a community of people who can provide answers and share experiences. One resource they offer is a list of different support groups available to parents in Michigan filtered by county. Another is a calendar with different events occurring during the month and a description.

NCFA: “A Guide to Adoption Subsidies and Assistance for Adoptive Parents”

This article discusses subsidies that provide additional support for adoptees and their families. It explains what they are, who provides the, who is eligible, the process, and tips for the process.

Child Welfare Information Gateway: “Adoption and Guardianship Assistance by State”

This article answers the questions “Does your State provide additional finances or services for medical or therapeutic needs not covered under your State medical plan to children receiving adoption assistance?” It proceeds with a state by state breakdown of whether or not each state does.

The Special Needs Parent Handbook – 2nd Edition

The book provides practical and useful advice for parents of children with special needs or other disabilities. It includes sections on: Hiring babysitters and free respite help, Finding the best and kindest doctors, Keeping the family together, taking care of your health and more.

Gladney Center for Adoption: “Why Are Foster Care and Adoption Training Required?”

This article explains why foster care and adoption training is required. It discusses pre-service training, foster parent in-service training, post-adoption training, kinship-specific training, and more. The author also provides general advice about learning through parenting experience and how it is a journey.

Gladney Center for Adoption: “Adopting a Child With Special Needs and Disabilities”

This article discusses considerations potential parents must evaluate prior to adopting a child with special needs and/or disabilities. Subsections include understanding children with special needs and disabilities, what must be done before adopting a child with special needs, choosing an adoption agency, and more.

Love Without Boundaries: “Adopting a Child With Special Needs”

Love Without Boundaries’s website contains reference information about common special needs including craniofacial conditions, digestive system conditions, infectious diseases, and more. On the website there is also a family stories page, a resource page (extra packed with info with more information on medical resources and post adoption resources), and a page for the adoption process.

No Hands But Ours

No Hands But Ours focuses on the children currently being abandoned in China with special medical needs. The organization contains resources for those in the process of adopting a child from China, already home with their adopted child, or just researching special needs. It was founded and is maintained by adoptive parents that specifically focus on special needs adoption from China. The website comprises information regarding specific special needs, family stories, resources (such as before travel and the first year at home) and also opportunities to connect locally and virtually.

Utah’s Adoption Connection: Children with Special Needs

This is digital Lending Library allows prospective adoptive families, foster parents, and adoptive parents to rent books for free. Users can check out up to three items at a time for up to six weeks. Within the Children with Special Needs category there are further categories focused on specific special needs, as well as other categories on general adoption, children’s titles, for parenting, for professionals, and LBGTQ focus.

Gladney Center for Adoption: “How We Decided Which Special Needs Boxes to Check on Our Preference Checklist”

This article by an adoptive mother talks about considerations that go into the preference checklist adoptive parents complete. She gives advice on how to not feel overwhelmed while approaching this initial list in sections.

RainbowKids: “Special Needs in Children”

Rainbow Kids Adoption & Child Welfare Advocacy section on special needs is a resource for families considering special needs adoption. With thirteen main categories, each has subcategories that explains different information and considerations for adoptive parents. The site itself also houses a list of children waiting to be adopted that prospective parents may visit after creating an account.

Medical Home Portal: “Adoption of Children with Special Needs”

An article covering general preparation advice for parents adopting a child with special needs. It covers adoption of children with special needs, getting ready for adoption, choosing an adoption agency, the outline of the adoption process, and a resource section.

Gladney Center for Adoption: “Special Needs Adoption Guide: What you need to know when considering special needs adoption”

An article on what parents need to know when it comes to special needs adoption. Different sections explain what special needs adoption is, the medical conditions checklist, having a file reviewed, setting up your support system, facing reality upon arriving home, navigating the medical system, and more.

Adopted (2008)

Adopted tells the story of two adoptees and their families. One family is a couple preparing for the adoption of a baby girl. The other, a 32 year old adoptee from Korea that has struggled to speak with her adoptive parents her whole life about adoption. The two stories are at opposite ends of the adoption process, but both stories converge to show that love alone is not enough to make a family work.

U.S. Department of State-Bureau of Consular Affairs: “Health Considerations”

An article by the U.S Department of State-Bureau of consular affairs. It establishes the difference between convention adoption requirements which normally have an Article 16 requirement, and non-convention requirements. It also establishes reasonable expectations for accredited adoption service providers and visa requirements for a medical examination.

The Drop Box (2015)

Pastor Lee Jong Rak is a pastor in South Korea. His ‘drop box’ is a space where children can be placed if the parent decides to give up their child. Throughout the film, Pastor Lee emphasizes the special value of each child’s life, and how God has a plan for the little ones. The documentary focuses on his work with adoption and the babies placed inside his ‘drop box’.

CDC: “International Adoption”

A CDC article on vaccinations and disease for parents seeking to adopt internationally. It gives recommendations and information for before overseas travel, the overseas medical examination process, vaccinations, finding a medical provider in the U.S, Class A Conditions, and the Waiver Process.

Adoption Support Alliance

The Adoption Support Alliance offers an Adoption 101 course designed for anyone considering growing their family through adoption. The class discusses different aspects surrounding adoption, including the logistics of both domestic and international adoption, how to deal with grief and trauma, birth family relationships, and more. The ASA also offers classes on ‘Race, Culture & Adoption’ and ‘Adoption Training for Church Communities.’

lowcosthealthinsurance.com: “Will my health insurance cover an adopted child?”

This article explains how health insurance works with adopted children. It states most insurance plans covering biological children must cover adopted children; however, it cautions some exceptions exist. It also discusses these exceptions and what parents can do to ensure their child is covered with either Medicaid or through other ways.

Child Welfare Information Gateway: “Preadoption Training”

“Different types of adoption training are available to help prospective and adoptive parents learn more about the different aspects of adoption. The Child Welfare Information Gateway has compiled a list of different trainings that may be required and are useful for parents looking to understand more about their child and their development. “

U.S. Department of Labor: “Protections for Newborns, Adopted Children, and New Parents…The Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health Protection Act of 1996”

An article by the US Department of Labor on protections for newborns, adopted children, and new parents in the context of a health protection act passed in 1996. It explains how the healthcare operates in relation to adoption and the different technicalities involved in securing health surance when adopting.

Holt International: “Parenting Adoptees”

Holt International is a Christian organization that offers programs including Post-Adoption Coaching & Education (PACE) and Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI). Both programs help parents to work with their children. Holt also provides resources on racial and adoptee identity, birth parents, and privilege and international adoption. All of these sections have links and videos designed to help parents understand their child.

America World Adoption: “Adoption Training”

America World Adoption is a Christian adoption agency offering ‘Anchored in Hope: Strengthening Adoptive Families’ which is designed to help families prepare for the placement of a child and to equip them to meet the unique needs of their child in a 10 hour curriculum. They also offer courses for preparing for after adoption with shorter training around 1 ½ hours. AWAA’s other resources include webinars and individual appointments.

Adoption Training Online

From the Children’s Aid Society of Alabama, several paid trainings are offered. There are Hague approved bundles. Trainings are various- spanning from domestic adoption, medical courses, and 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.

Chris Massman (LMFT): “What to Look for in a Family Therapist”

This article provides an introduction to family therapy and offers advice for qualities to look for in a therapist, in therapy sessions, and how to make the best of it.

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.

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.

The Dark Matter of Love (2012)

A documentary on the psychological aspects of growing up with and without parental love. The story centers around the Diaz family, who chooses to adopt three orphans from Russia, and how their new and old kids handle family together. It also covers their work with individualized family therapy that helps them to begin communicating more effectively.

Found (2021)

The story of three adopted Chinese-American teenage girls who discover they’re blood-related cousins on 23andMe. Their online meeting inspires the young women to confront the burning questions they have about their lost history and travel back to China.

Stuck (2013)

A documentary that follows four children from three different countries on their individual voyages from orphanages to their new homes with families in the United States. It explores the corruption and greed behind the adoption process as parents try to adopt kids but are blocked by outside efforts.

Unlocking the Heart of Adoption (2002)

This is an hour-long documentary which chronicles the filmmaker’s journey as a birthmother and reveal the personal storeis of adoptees, birthparents, and adoptive parents. A wide variety of perspectives on adoption are explored, including the connections between birth families and adoptive families.

Somewhere Between (2011)

A documentary on four different teenage girls adopted from China under the One Child Policy who are currently living in the United States. The film explores their struggles with racism, identity formation, belonging, and race and gender.

Counseling Directory: “Family therapy”

An article and a search engine combined, this resource addresses what family therapy is, what it can help, what occurs during it, and what systemic family therapy is. At the end of the page, users are able to search by what type of session they are looking for (online vs in person), as well as filter by zip code, town, and country.

Healthgrades: Family and Marriage Counselors Near Me

A search engine that allows users to search for family and marriage counselors by state, and view therapists profiles including ratings, testimonials, location, options for virtual therapy, background checks, and more. Users are also able to filter by doctors, conditions, or procedures.

OnlineTherapy: “Marriage and Family Therapist Online”

An article and search directory, this source discusses the decision to find a marriage and family therapist online and also links to a directory that allows users to filter by state. It is possible to search through 50 states and view profiles listing: years of experience, language, specialization, and bios.

The Guardian: “Why I’m no longer talking to white people about race”

“A first person account by British journalist Reni Eddo-Lodge on the ways structural racism prevails today but how some white people refuse to see it. She explains why she will no longer be discussing this with people who won’t listen. The author talks about how people must first acknowledge that they benefit from structural racism and understand that color blindness is not the solution.”

The Guardian: “Confronting racism is not about the needs and feelings of white people”

“Short first person account by Ijeoma Oluo on how the discussion of racism needs to center around the voices of those who are marginalized. “

Time: “The Realities of Raising a Kid of a Different Race”

“An article written by an adoptive mother on what every parent should know about transracial adoptions. This article is applicable to adoptees but centers around the Black adoptee experience growing up in a white household.”

Closure (2013)

A trans-racial adoptee finds her birth mother, and meets the rest of her family who did not know she existed, including her birth father. This documentary explores themes such as identity, the complexities of trans-racial adoption, and closure.

Lion (2016)

The extraordinary birth search family based on a true story. When a little boy from India gets lost on a train and taken thousands of miles away from home gets adopted by an Australian couple. With his unforgettable memories, his determination, and the online technology Google Earth, 25 years later Saroo sets out to find his first home.

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.

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.

International Child Search Alliance (ICSA)

ICSA is an all-volunteer international group of adoptees and adoptive parents offering multiple sources of information to help adoptees from China search for their birth families. Advice is given on ‘Getting Started’, ‘Hiring a Searcher’, ‘Birth Parents Searching for Children’, and more. There is also How-To-Guides that include DNA testing, using the app WeChat, Joining a Province Search, visiting the CCCWA, and more.

BBC: “The pervasive problem of ‘linguistic racism'”

“An examination of the privileges native English speakers (and English speakers with a native accent) hold from a native English speaker’s perspective.”

NPR: “Want to have better conversations about racism with your parents? Here’s how”

“An NPR article from the perspective of a biracial person with a white mother and father from West Africa. It explains how to have more complex, understanding discussions about racism with your parents.”

NMAAHC: “Being Antiracist”

This article explains the ways in which racism exists (individual, interpersonal, institutional, etc.). It also provides simple exercises for people to engage with and examine their own perspective.

Dear Asian Youth: “Mocking an Asian Accent is Never Funny”

“First person piece on why mocking an Asian accent is never funny from the website DearAsianYouth. This article talks about how mocking accents contributes to racism.”

NCFA: “Post-Adoption Services Acknowledging and Dealing with Loss”

“An article on the way Loss, Rejection, Guilt/Shame, Grief, Identity, Intimacy, and Mastery/Control, all impact the adoptee experience.”

Vox: “What exactly is a microaggression?”

“This article describes microaggressions and how they go beyond everyday slights or remarks, as well as the negative impact they have.”

NCFA: “How Adoption Will Be Impacted If Congress Passes These Four Bills in 2022”

“An article written in January on the four proposed bills (from 2022) that Congress was set to vote on regarding different adoption issues.”

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.”

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.

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.

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

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.”

The Conversation: “Explainer: what is casual racism?”

“An explanation of everyday and more subtle forms of racism and the microaggressions that racial minorities face.”

NPR: “Microaggressions are a big deal: How to talk them out and when to walk away”

“Podcast and interview with Kevin Nadal on microaggressions and how their impact is not “micro.”” Nadal also has his own website with books on microaggressions and other subjects.”

NPR: “Microaggressions: Be Careful What You Say”

“An 8 minute NPR podcast that explains microagressions and how sometimes “”because people are good, moral – experience themselves as good, moral, decent individuals, they find it very difficult to accept the fact that they have been engaged in a discriminatory action, or may harbor racial biases that they have. And it violates, in some sense, their sense of being a good person.”” “

NPR: “How ‘Ching Chong’ Became The Go-To Slur For Mocking East Asians”

A short article on the history and prevalence of a racist slur used against Asian people.

MTV Impact: “If Microaggressions Happened to White People”

A 3 minute YouTube video highlighting the microaggressions people of color deal with everyday.

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.

Vox: “Why adoption isn’t a replacement for abortion rights”

“When the leaked draft on Roe v. Wade was released, many people argued adoption would be able to replace abortion. This article discusses the shortcomings of this argument and rhetoric. Also, it details the long term consequences for birth parents and also adoptees as a result of separation. “

NCFA: “The Impact of Adoption on Teen Identity Formation”

This article explores the ways in which adoption can affect adolescents’ formation of identity.

American Adoptions: “The Truth About Adopted Adults and Relationship Issues”

“An article explaining that although not many studies have been conducted on adoptees and trauma, many adoptees feel they have relationship issues tracing back to their adoption.”

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.”

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.”

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.”

NCFA: “Using Accurate Adoption Language”

” A short, introductory article on word replacement suggestions for words relating to adoption. Instead of words that may be considered inaccurate or inadequate, this article offers alternatives. “

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.”

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.”

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.

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.”

NCFA: “Resources for Being an LGBTQ-Friendly Agency”

Same-sex headed families are increasingly becoming a part of the adoption community, so this is a short resource list of resources for being an LGBTQ-friendly agency.

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.”

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.”

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.”

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.

Adoption Mosaic

“Adoption Mosaic’s vision is to build bridges with adoption communities for forward-thinking dialogue on adoption-related topics while offering support and education to those who are learning what it means to be a part of the adoption constellation. The Adoption Mosaic mission is to connect, honor, and serve the adoption constellation through innovation in education, practices, and support services.”

The New York Times: “Deportation a ‘Death Sentence’ to Adoptees After a Lifetime in the U.S.”

“An article on the lives lived by adult Korean adoptees deported back to Korea after US adoptive parents failed to attain citizenship for them. It talks about a problem that the US needs to urgently address: adoptees from abroad who never attained American citizenship. “

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.

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.

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. “