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Child Welfare League of America.
CWLA is the oldest and largest nonprofit association assisting abused and neglected children and their families.
Children`s Bureau.
The Children’s Bureau (CB) is the oldest federal agency for children and is located within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families. It is responsible for assisting states in the delivery of child welfare services to protect children and strengthen families. It also provides fact sheets and information on laws, policies, programs, and initiatives concerning adoptions.
Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute.
The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute is one of the preeminent policy, research, and education organizations in its field. Its mission is to improve policies, practices, laws, and attitudes to benefit everyone touched by adoption, especially children. The Adoption Institute has long been a source of accurate, unbiased information for journalists, researchers, and professionals. The institute’s newsletter keeps up-to-date information on changes in the laws that affect adoptions. Back issues are available free online. Their site also has great links to data and statistics on adoption.
National Adoption Center.
Provides general information about adoptions and also features FACES, which provides bios and pictures on children in need of an adoptive family.
National Council for Adoption.
The NCFA provides general information on adoption, as well as some guidelines for approaching the decision to adopt and taking the first steps. They also provide contact information to adoption agencies and attorneys and an overview of the adoption process.
National Foster Care and Adoption Directory.
The National Adoption Information Clearinghouse provides a searchable database for information on adoption agencies, recruitment lines, state officials, support groups, and statewide services for all 50 states.
NCFA List of Adoption Agencies.
All adoption agencies listed on the NCFA Web page are official members of NCFA and have met certain criteria for membership. However, it is not an exhaustive list. NCFA also provides contact information for qualified attorneys who are official members of NCFA and have met certain membership requirements. There is also a list of various publications and literature to help further education on adoption. Some of the publications listed are produced directly by NCFA.
North American Council on Adoptable Children.
NACAC provides information on how to adopt, recruit adoptive families, and get support after adopting, as well as information on transracial parenting.
The American Academy of Adoption Attorneys .
The American Academy of Adoption Attorneys is a national association of attorneys who practice, or have otherwise distinguished themselves, in the field of adoption law.
The National Center for Adoption Law and Policy at Capital University Law School.
The National Center for Adoption Law and Policy seeks to improve the law, policies, and practices associated with child protection and adoption systems. Their goal is that all children—especially those who have been abused or neglected or are dependent on the state for their care—have safe, healthy, permanent homes.
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National Evaluation of the Court Improvement Program.
The three main components of the evaluation are 1) identification and analysis of the CIP-funded court initiatives across the country, 2) identification and analysis of existing evaluations of family and juvenile court reforms, and 3) in-depth analysis of three models of CIP-supported reform initiatives. The three sites chosen for analysis are Connecticut's Case Management Protocol, Delaware's Systemic Reform, and Texas's Cluster Courts.
Title IV-E Adoption Assistance State Self-Assessment Tool.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children`s Bureau. (November 2007).
This resource allows states to review themselves to see if they are in compliance with federal guidelines concerning the Title IV-E Adoption Assistance Program. This report also includes an attached Information Memorandum and the Title IV-E Adoption Assistance Eligibility Flow Chart.
Report Procedures: 2003 Child Abuse and Neglect State Statues.
National Adoption Information Clearinghouse. (2003).
All 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Territories have enacted statutes specifying procedures that a mandatory reporter must follow when making a report of child abuse or neglect.
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Adoption Laws.
The National Adoption Information Clearinghouse provides information on laws governing the entire adoption process. It also provides state-specific information for each portion of the adoption process.
Further Adoption Laws.
Provides information on laws concerning international adoption, access to adoption records, federal statutes concerning adoptive parents, and state laws that affect the adoptive process.
Kochanska, Ewa
"The nation`s first embryo adoption bill passed Georgia Senate."
The Examiner: Atlanta, GA (April 2009).
The Option of Adoption Act (HB388) is the first statute in the United States to provide a legal framework for the “adoption” of embryos by providing the option to obtain a court approval for the procedure as well as clarifying the rights of genetic donors and adoptive parents.
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First Nations Orphan Association.
www.angelfire.com.
The association offers service to all adoptees and families in accordance with traditional spiritual heritage and the policies of the Indian Child Welfare Act.
National Indian Child Welfare Association.
www.nicwa.org/.
The National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) is the most comprehensive source of information on American Indian child welfare and works on behalf of Indian children and families. NICWA provides public policy, research, and advocacy; information and training on Indian child welfare; and community development services to a broad national audience, including tribal governments and programs, state child welfare agencies, and other organizations, agencies, and professionals interested in the field of Indian child welfare.
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National Court Improvement Progress Report and Catalog.
American Bar Assocation, Center on Children and the Law..
This database contains state-by-state information on the progress of court improvement projects. Users can access information on a variety of topics, such as alternative dispute resolution, court staffing, training and education, and funding issues. State summary information goes back to 2003.
Synthesis of 2005 Court Improvement Program Reform and Activities.
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (July 2007).
This report provides an update on State implementation of CIP, a program that continues to evolve as the major vehicle for dependency court reform. It is based on information contained in the fiscal year 2005 annual State program reports submitted to the Children’s Bureau, supplemented by discussions with CIP coordinators and other sources. Through these reports and discussions, it is clear that courts have used CIP funding in a variety of ways to improve their performance, practice, and involvement in child welfare reform.
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Family Research Council.
The Family Research Council is a research and educational organization based in Washington, D.C., devoted to reaffirming and promoting the traditional family.
Human Rights Campaign FamilyNet.
HRC FamilyNet is a comprehensive, up-to-date resource on gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered families.
The Family Pride Coalition.
Supports and protects the families of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered parents.
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Adoptalk.
A publication of the North American Council on Adoptable Children.
Each issue contains information on policy issues, post-adoption support, recruitment of adoptive families, parenting techniques, and much more.
Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System .
The Children's Bureau provides access to recent data from AFCARS, which collects information on all children in foster care or adopted children for whom the state child welfare agency has responsibility.
California Child and Family Services.
Provides detailed information and statistics on adoptions in California.
Child Welfare Information Gateway Adoption Statistics.
These resources provide State, national, and international data and statistics on private, public foster care, and intercountry adoption. Research findings present trends and analyses in the field of adoption.
Child Welfare Information Gateway`s Filing Trends.
www.childwelfare.gov.
Factsheets focusing on statistical research
National Data Analysis System (NDAS).
The Child Welfare League of America's National Data Analysis System provides information on child abuse and neglect, out-of-home care, adoption, and fiscal and administrative data. Includes the number of children legally adopted through public agencies and the number waiting for adoption. Users should use guest as the name and password for access to the site.
New York State Citizens` Coalition for Children, Inc.
Provides detailed information on adoption, foster care, child advocacy, and children's rights.
Oregon Department of Human Services-Adoption.
Provides detailed information and statistics about adoption in Oregon.
Trends in Foster Care and Adoption FY2002-FY2007.
AFCARS, U.S. Childrens Bureau, Administration for Children, Youth and Families (September 2008).
Graphically represented national estimates of foster care and adoption population characteristics.
Testa, Mark F.
"When Children Cannot Return Home: Adoption and Guardianship."
Children, Families, and Foster Care 14, no. 1 (Winter 2004).
Flango, Victor and Carol Flango
How Many Children Were Adopted in 1992?.
Child Welfare vol. 74 (1995).
This article presents the most recent and most accurate information available on the total number of adoptions in the United States in 1992.
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Joint Council on International Children`s Services.
The council advocates on behalf of children in need of permanent families by promoting ethical practices in intercountry adoption.
U.S. State Department, Office of Children`s Issues--Immigrant Visas.
Offers the top countries of origin and the total number of visas issued to orphans coming to the United States as an approximation of the number of intercountry adoptions.
U.S. State Department, Office of Children`s Issues--International Adoptions.
The process of adopting a foreign child and bringing that child into the United States involves several steps. Information regarding the process can be obtained directly from this site.
"U.S. Embassy in Guatemala Uses DNA Testing to Protect Its Adopted Children."
U.S. Department of State (August 2007).
To protect Guatemalan children from being put up for adoption by people other than their parents, the U.S. Department of State has implemented a DNA-testing program. The adults placing the children up for adoption will be tested see if their DNA matches that of the children.
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Pros of Each Type of Adoption for the Involved Parties.
The Child Welfare Information Gateway presents advantages to confidential, semi-open, and open adoptions.
Openness in Adoption: A Fact Sheet for Families.
Fact Sheet, Child Welfare Information Gateway, Washington, D.C. (February 2003).
This fact sheet describes the benefits of post-adoption contact with birth parents and reviews considerations for determining the degree of openness that is most appropriate for the child.
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Recruiting, Preparing, and Retaining Foster/Adoptive Parents.
Child Welfare Information Gateway.
Provides information on various techniques to use in recruiting adoptive families for various adoptive children populations.
Doran, L. and L. Berliner.
Encouraging Adoption of Children in Foster Care: Trends in Washington`s Financial Assistance Program.
Technical Report, Washington State Institute for Public Policy, Olympia (February 2001).
This evaluation addressed eligibility criteria, payment levels and purposes, current caseload, and the characteristics of participants in 1999.
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Legalized Abandonment.
This link explains state laws which allow mothers to legally abandon their newborn children.
"Safe Haven Laws: Decriminalizing the Abandonment of Newborns."
www.crisispregnancy.com.
This religious site includes information on "safe haven" laws. Included on the Web site are external links to other sites with similar information.
The Child Welfare Leagues` Baby Abandonment Page.
This page provides information on baby abandonment, including state-specific information on legislation and a summary and monograph concerning baby abandonment and safe haven laws.
Gov. Heineman Signs Safe Haven Update into Law.
Communications Office of Governor Dave Heineman (November 2008).
This updated version of Nebraska’s safe haven law sets an age limit of 30 days for legally surrendering a child.
Alaska, Nebraska Become 49th and 50th States to Enact Safe Haven Laws.
National Council For Adoption (NCFA) (February 2008).
This NCFA media advisory on safe haven laws notes that Alaska and Nebraska are the 49th & 50th states to adopt safe haven laws and that only DC does not have one.
Safe Haven Law.
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) (2008).
This Nebraska DHSS site provides information on the original safe haven legislation which led to 36 children being surrendered to the department between September and November of 2008. A list of cases with the ages of the children (most of whom were over age 10 and 6 of whom were from other states) is provided.
Infant Safe Haven Laws.
Child Welfare Information Gateway (July 2007).
This site provides information on state statutes on safe haven laws as of July 2007. (Note several states have added or changed safe haven laws since that time).
Wiltenburg, Mary.
Safe Haven.
The Christian-Science Monitor (July 2003).
This article analyzes safe haven state laws, how effective they are, and who the laws actually benefit.
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"U.S. Supreme Court Stays Out of Second-Parent Adoption."
Metropolitan News-Enterprise (March 2004).
This article discusses California second-parent adoption cases.
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National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
Protecting children and families by fighting the leading known cause of mental retardation and birth defects.
National Resource Center for Special Needs Adoptions.
Produces a weekly newsletter, the Roundtable, that is available online.
Society of Special Needs Adoptive Parents (SNAP).
Provides information and support for parents with special needs children.
Spaulding for Children.
A National Resource Center (NRC) for special needs adoption, Spaulding's NRC provides training, consultation, and information for professionals, organizations, and parents.
Post-Legal Adoption Services for Children with Special Needs and Their Families : Challenges and Lessons Learned.
Fact Sheet, Child Welfare Information Network, Washington, D.C. (2005).
Military Families and Adoption: A Fact Sheet for Families.
Fact Sheet, Child Welfare Information Gateway, Washington, D.C. (2003).
Common questions about adoption of children by military personnel and their families are addressed in this fact sheet.
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Adoption Literature.
NCFA provides a list of various publications and literature to help further your education on adoption. Some of the publications listed on this page are produced directly by NCFA.
National Adoption Center.
This NAC site provides peer support for foster parents and adoptive parents through moderated chats, online conferences, and a message board.
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A Guide to the MultiEthnic Placement Act of 1994.
(1996).
The Children's Bureau provides a summary of MEPA and answers FAQs about appropriate consideration of race and culture in the adoption process.
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Boyd, Diana.
Court Improvement Progress Reports.
Washington, DC: Center on Children and the Law, American Bar Association.
These reports describe the current progress of the federally funded state Court Improvement Projects. These projects were created to improve the state courts' handling of child abuse and neglect cases. The reports describe the current court reform issues on which the courts are working, their strategies in approaching these issues, and the extent of their current progress. (KF9323 .R38). These reports are available for purchase through the American Bar Association.
Adoption and Permanency Guidelines: Improving Court Practice in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases.
Reno, NV: National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (2000).
This guidebook sets forth the essential elements of best practices that lead to a permanent home for children who cannot be reunified with their families. The guidelines describe each step between the point at which the court determines reunification is not an option and the point at which the juvenile and family court is no longer involved in the case because the child has achieved permanence in a new home. Topics include permanency planning, the permanency hearing, termination of parental rights, and the appeals process. (KF9323 .A93)
Marshner, Connaught and William L. Pierce.
Adoption Factbook III.
Waite Park, MN: Park Press Quality Printing, Inc. (1999).
This book is a comprehensive study of adoption, including national and state statistics. (HV875 .A3 1999)
Adoption Factbook: United States Data: Issues, Regulations, and Resources.
Washington, DC: National Committee for Adoption (1999).
The Adoption Factbook provides essays written by independent and individualistic authors from the National Council for Adoption, as well as prominent adoption experts. The essays focus on several adoption topics, including public policy, advocacy, research, and practice. (HV875 .A3)
Duquette, Donald N.
Guidelines for Public Policy and State Legislation Governing Permanence for Children.
Washington, DC: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children`s Bureau (1999).
The guidelines were developed as one of several steps taken by the federal government in response to Adoption 2002, President Clinton's Initiative on Adoption and Foster Care. The guidelines are intended to assist the states as they focus on critical issues affecting child welfare practice and the courts. (KF545 .D87)
Johns, Krista R.
Judge`s Guidebook on Adoption and Other Permanent Homes for Children.
Reno, NV: National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (1999).
This guidebook provides operating principles that can be used in any community to create sound practices in child abuse and neglect cases. The guidebook also discusses implications for state social service agencies, juvenile courts, and courts of appeals of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997. (KF545 .J64)
Minnesota Supreme Court Foster Care and Adoption Task Force: Final Report.
St. Paul: Minnesota Supreme Court, State Court Administration, Office of Research and Planning (1997).
This report contains more than 30 recommendations from the task force, including such topics as the Indian Child Welfare Act and tribal courts, open adoptions, the Minnesota Heritage Act, and termination of parental rights. (KFM5494.5 .M55)
Gay, Donna L.
Report of the Arkansas Supreme Court Ad Hoc Committee on Foster Care and Adoption Assessment with Findings and Recommendations.
Little Rock, AK: Administrative Office of the Courts (1997).
This report highlights the findings of the Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts Ad Hoc Committee regarding court improvement in foster care and adoption cases. The report provides information about the committee's assessment process, results of the assessment, recommendations for overall improvement, and the future implementation of the recommendations. (KFA3704.6 .G39)
Adoption 2002: A Response to the Presidential Executive Memoranda on Adoption.
Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (December 1996).
This report is a response from the Department of Health and Human Services to President Bill Clinton regarding his challenge in the Adoption 2002 initiative to find ways to make adoption easier and to move more children through the system. The report is a culmination of an intensive 60-day consultation process with over 600 foster and adoptive parents, professional policy experts, and advocates at the local, state, and national levels. (HV875 .A36)
Adamec, Christine A.
The Encyclopedia of Adoption.
New York: Facts on File (1991).
This book is intended for both the general reader and the adoption expert and provides an expansive and detailed explanation of adoption practices, procedures, and history. (HV875.55 .A28)
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