Adoption Advocate No. 81
Avoiding the Perils and Pitfalls of Intercountry Adoption from Non-Hague Countries: Considerations for Agencies and Adoptive Parents (Part II)
Authored By: Christine Lockhart Poarch and J. McLane Layton
In the March 2015 issue of NCFA's Adoption Advocate, Christine Lockhart Poarch and McLane Layton present Part II of their two-part series on the most common perils and pitfalls involved in intercountry non-Hague adoptions, "Orphan Processing: Navigating Road Blocks and Delays."
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Avoiding the Perils and Pitfalls of Intercountry Adoption from Non-Hague Countries: Considerations for Agencies and Adoptive Parents (Part I)
Authored By: Christine Lockhart Poarch and J. McLane Layton
In the February 2015 issue of NCFA's Adoption Advocate, Christine Lockhart Poarch and McLane Layton present Part I of a two-part series that will provide an overview of the most common perils and pitfalls involved in designating a child as an orphan under U.S. law and emphasize best practices for agencies and adoptive families.
Continue ReadingAdoption Advocate No. 79
NCFA’s 2015 Policy Priorities and Adoption-Related Legislation
Authored By: Megan Lindsey and Erin Bayles
NCFA maintains productive relationships with child welfare officials, legislators, and other key stakeholder groups in order to better advocate for policies that serve the interests of adopted children, birth parents, and adoptive families. In the January 2014 issue of the Adoption Advocate, NCFA presents its policy priorities for the coming year and provides a review of past relevant adoption- and foster care-related legislation.
Continue ReadingAdoption Advocate No. 78
The Post-Adoption Life: Supporting Adoptees, Birth Parents, and Families After Adoption
Authored By: Kris Faasse, Sarah Horton Bobo, and Angela Magnuson
It's important to recognize that adoption is a lifelong experience, and acknowledge the challenges for many of those touched by it. In the December 2014 issue of NCFA's Adoption Advocate, authors Kris Faasse, Sarah Horton Bobo, and Angela Magnuson outline some of the ways that adoption service providers can help adoptees, adoptive family members, and birth family members find and remain connected to vital, long-term support within the broader adoption community.
Continue ReadingAdoption Advocate No. 77
The Joys and Challenges of Parenting Older Adopted Children
Authored By: Dr. Gary Matloff
Children adopted at older ages—especially those from the U.S. foster care system—typically come to their new families with some history of trauma, abuse, or neglect, and a storehouse of unresolved emotions. But adopting and parenting older children comes with unique joys and rewards as well as challenges. In the November 2014 issue of NCFA's Adoption Advocate, psychologist and adoptive father Dr. Gary Matloff discusses and shares valuable tips for families that have welcomed older children through adoption.
Continue ReadingAdoption Advocate No. 76
Preparation and Support for Older Child Adoptions: NCFA Survey and Conference Feedback
Authored By: Jamel Rowe, with Melissa Blauvelt and Rhonda Jarema
Families adopting older children via public or intercountry adoption face a unique set of challenges, as do the agencies that seek to serve and support them. In the October 2014 issue of NCFA's Adoption Advocate, former NCFA Legal Fellow Jamel Rowe collects and analyzes results from an older child adoption survey conducted in 2013 by Melissa Blauvelt and Rhonda Jarema. Participating adoptive families and adoption agencies identified several areas of concern, with a particular emphasis on pre-adoption preparation and post-adoption support.
Continue ReadingAdoption Advocate No. 75
Creating Trauma-Informed Classrooms
Authored By: Casey Call, Ph.D., Karyn Purvis, Ph.D., Sheri R. Parris, Ph.D., & David Cross, Ph.D.
With another school year beginning, it is important for teachers and school administrators to understand the impact of trauma, abuse, neglect, and other risk factors in a child's history that can affect his or her ability to learn and feel safe and connected in the classroom. In the September 2014 issue of NCFA's Adoption Advocate, co-authors Casey Call, Karyn Purvis, Sheri R. Parris, and David Cross share the results from different schools employing Trust-Based Relationship Intervention® (TBRI®), and emphasize the power of safe, nurturing relationships in the classroom--particularly for children from "hard places."
Continue ReadingAdoption Advocate No. 74
Choosing an Adoption Agency
Authored By: Chuck Johnson
Adoption agencies have ethical and professional obligations to both expectant parents considering adoption and prospective adoptive parents. In the August issue of NCFA's Adoption Advocate, "Choosing an Adoption Agency," NCFA president and CEO Chuck Johnson lists some considerations and questions for expectant parents and families to consider as they begin to research potential agencies.
Continue ReadingAdoption Advocate No. 73
Agency Liability: What Adoption Service Providers and Families Need to Know
Authored By: Michele Jackson
The adoption process involves liability in multiple areas, including financial accountability, information disclosure, communication with clients, and the actions and supervision of employees. In the July 2014 issue of NCFA's Adoption Advocate, Michele Jackson explains the current requirements for licensed agencies for the benefit of both adoption service providers and prospective adoptive families.
Continue ReadingAdoption Advocate No. 72
What are the Factors Leading to Broken Adoptions?
Authored By: Dawn J. Post
While broken adoptions represent only a small percentage of adoptions, it is crucial for adoption and child welfare advocates to study these cases in order to better understand the contributing factors and help prevent future broken adoptions. In the June 2014 issue of NCFA's Adoption Advocate, Dawn J. Post of the Children’s Law Center New York (CLCNY) describes the results of a six-month case study undertaken to examine cases of children whose adoptions did not result in lasting permanency.
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