Post-Adoption Services in the United States Though many adoptive parents might initially disagree, the period leading up to an adoption is often perceived as perhaps the easiest part of the process. While the matching of adoptive parents to child has a significant impact on the ultimate success of the adoption process, post-adoption services, such as […]

Census Statistics Show Characteristics of Adopted Children and Stepchildren Approximately 4.5 million children in the United States live either as adopted children or as stepchildren. In the latest U.S. Census report, considerable information was gathered about those children. There does not appear to be an appreciable difference geographically regarding the adoption of children. The percentage […]

Federal Laws Governing Adoptions—The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children Though most laws governing child welfare are enacted by the state, there are federal laws and regulations that affect adoption. One of the most important is the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (the “ICPC”). An Overview of the ICPC The ICPC was […]

The Steps to a Successful Adoption If you’re seriously thinking about adopting a child, here are some of the things you’ll want or need to do to improve your chances of a successful adoption: Learn as much as you can about the adoption process: You’ll have lots of options—domestic vs. international adoption, open vs. closed […]

So you’re thinking of adopting a child, or you are already in the midst of the adoption process. You may wonder whether parenting an adopted child differs significantly from parenting a biological child. The answer, according to most experts—in most ways, it doesn’t, but there are some unique issues you will need to watch out […]

The Unique Steps Involved in International Adoptions If you are thinking about adoption, one of your options is to adopt a child from a foreign country. Though similar in some respects to a domestic adoption, there are some requirements that are unique to the international adoption process. As in a domestic adoption, you’ll need to […]

Domestic Adoption If you are considering an adoption, you may be overwhelmed with the choices and options. This blog post provides an overview of the domestic adoption process. A domestic adoption essentially means that you have chosen to adopt within the states and territories that make up the United States, so you won’t have to […]

Embryo Donation—A New Form of Adoption For many who want to adopt, the desire is that the child feel like he or she really belongs to the family. With the advances of modern technology, a new process—embryo adoption—has evolved, allowing a woman to carry and give birth to an embryo donated by another person. In […]

Report Shows Reversal of Foster Care Trend In a report issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), researchers reported a slight increase in the number of children in foster care across the United States. The study indicated just over 400,000 kids in foster care, down from the peak of 524,000 in […]

President Signs Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act On September 29, 2014, President Obama signed into law the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act, a statute that limits long-term foster care, provides measures for monitoring failed adoptions, and offers restructured adoption incentives. Under the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, Congress created […]