Adoption Resources

In addition to ChoiceMoms.org - the website for single women in every stage of thinking, trying, waiting, becoming and being a mother, including podcasts, discussion group and more

Top Five Sources as Recommended by Choice Moms

1. adoptionguide.com
2. Being Adopted: The Lifelong Search for Self, by David M. Brodzinsky, Marshall D. Schecter, Robin Marantz Henig, Robin Marantz. About the ages and stages of identity questions that adopted kids naturally have.
3. Two great NPR series on adoption. One is a series of five separate segments/stories on adopting older kids from foster care (americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/fostercare/index.html). The second is a series of four stories on international adoption (americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/adoption/index.html). With both series you can either read the transcript or listen to the documentary.
4. North American Council on Adoptable Children (nacac.org)
5. findingyourchild.com

Suggested Reading

Making Room in Our Hearts: Keeping Family Ties Through Open Adoption, by Micky Duxbury. An intimate look at how open adoption relationships evolve over time, with real-life stories. Learn more at mickyduxbury.com

Now We Are One: Faces of International Adoption, by David Wecker and photographer Michael Wilson. Images and stories of families touched by adoption. (Although the families do not feature Choice Moms, the photography is beautiful.) Learn more at nowweareone.com.

Telling the Truth to Your Adopted or Foster Child: Making Sense of the Past, by Betsy Keefer and Jayne E. Schooler. Contains many sample conversations and responses to children's questions.

Adopting the Hurt Child, by Gregory Keck, Ph.D., and Regina M. Kupecky. Outlines hands-on exercises and activities that can help children (including those with developmental or learning disabilities) make sense of troubled pasts.

Telling the Tough Stuff, by Lee Tobin McClain, Ph.D. How to tell your child difficult facts about his adoption in positive, age-appropriate ways, and keep the conversation going.

In Their Own Voices: Transracial Adoptees Tell Their Stories, by Rita J. Simon and Rhonda M. Rhoorda. The first book features the experiences of 24 black and biracial children who had been adopted into white families in the late 1960s and 70s, hailing from a wide range of religious, economic, political, and professional backgrounds.. How did the experience affect their racial and social identities, their choice of friends and marital partners, and their lifestyles?

In Their Parents' Voices: Reflections on Raising Transracial Adoptees, by Rita J. Simon and Rhonda M. Rhoorda. The sequel features the parents of these families discussing what it was like for them to raise children across racial and cultural lines.

Raising Adopted Children: Practical Reassuring Advice for Every Adoptive Parent, by Lois Melina.

The Family of Adoption, by Joyce Maguire Pavao. See also her kinnect.org.

Adoption Nation: How the Adoption Revolution is Transforming America, by Adam Pertman.

Adopting on Your Own, by Lee Varon.

See also books by:
tapestrybooks.com
perspectivespress.com
emkpress.com

Funding Information

The Child Welfare Information Gateway (childwelfare.gov)

National Endowment for Financial Education website (nefe.org/adoption)

adoptionfriendlyworkplace.org

benefitsguides.com

adoptivefamilies.com/adoption-cost.php

angelfire.com/journal/adoptionhelp/adopthelp.html - excellent guide to covering expenses

fwcc.org/financing.htm - useful 2003 article about financing adoption, written about Chinese adoptions but applicable to anyone; includes other financing resources

irs.gov- search "adoption" for up-to-date tax benefit information and forms

Parent Groups and Other Support

AdoptiveFamilies.com

AdoptionInformation.com (adoptioninformation.com/directory/singlessupport.htm)

Adopting.org

Adopting.com

AdoptionAttorneys.org - source for finding lawyers specializing in adoption

American Adoption Congress (americanadoptioncongress.org)

Child Welfare Information Gateway (childwelfare.gov/adoption/search/)

Pactadopt.org - especially useful for transracial families

Single Mothers by Choice (SMC-adopt@yahoogroups.com) email list

Single Parents Adopting Children Everywhere (508-655-5426)

Foster Care Adoption

adoptuskids.org

davethomasfoundation.com

everychildinc.org- specializes in special needs adoption and foster care

Adoption Pediatrics

There are many adoption pediatric specialists, such as Dr. Jane Aronson, Dr. Dana Johnson, Dr. Mary Staat. Many of them offer experienced consultation services in which you send your child's records and a fee to get input on health issues you might want to ask about pre- or post-adoption, or that you should check out with a local doctor. See AdoptiveFamilies.com for more on "adoption medicine."

Worthwhile Movies Featuring Adoption

Martian Child

Juno

Meet the Robinsons

International Adoption

Up-to-date country-specific information from U.S. government at: travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_369.html

Joint Council on International Children's Services (jcics.org)

Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption (frua.org)

Eastern European Adoption Coalition (eeadopt.com)

Yahoo features many country-specific online discussion groups, including parents of adopted children from Ethiopia, Haiti, Kazahstan, AdoptAfrica and more

IChild Indian Adoption Resources (www.ichild.org)

Eastern European Adoption Coalition (eeadopt.org)

Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption (frua.org)

Latin America Parents Association (lapa.com)