Adoption 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.
Continue ReadingAdoption Advocate No. 71
The Importance of Maintaining Sibling Connections in Foster Care
Authored By: Dr. Robert White and Samantha Jernstrom
In the May 2014 National Foster Care Month issue of NCFA's Adoption Advocate, co-authors Dr. Robert White and Samantha Jernstrom explain the importance of maintaining sibling connections for youth in foster care. Research has shown that these connections can have a profound impact on the wellbeing of children in foster care. When sibling co-placement and the preservation of sibling groups is not possible, every effort should be made to help youth in care maintain strong, healthy, and supportive relationships with their brothers and sisters.
Continue ReadingAdoption Advocate No. 70
The Role of Facilitators in Adoption
Authored By: Karen S. Law, Esq. and Teresa M. McDonough, ACSW
In the April 2014 issue of NCFA's Adoption Advocate, authors Karen S. Law, Esq. and Teresa McDonough, ACSW examine the recent rise in the use of unlicensed and typically unregulated adoption intermediaries or facilitators. They explain the significant risks for expectant parents and prospective parents who work with a facilitator as opposed to a licensed agency or attorney, and include a list of recommendations for those considering adoption.
Continue ReadingAdoption Advocate No. 69
Mental Health Professionals’ Attitudes and Expectations About Adoption and Adopted Children
Authored By: Dawn K. Kriebel, Ph.D. and Kathleen Whitten, Ph.D.
In the March 2014 issue of NCFA's Adoption Advocate, psychologists Dr. Dawn Kriebel and Dr. Kathleen Whitten examine expectations and training/education needs among mental health professionals serving members of the adoption triad, particularly adopted children. Dr. Kriebel and Dr. Whitten briefly review recent published studies about the adjustment of adopted children, and present their own research findings on clinicians' attitudes and beliefs regarding adoptees.
Continue ReadingAdoption Advocate No. 68
“Will I Love Her?”: Love and Attachment in Adoption
Authored By: Daniel Nehrbass, Ph.D.
Many families considering adoption wonder about what life will be like if they adopt a child, and their capacity to care and provide for that child—particularly if she or he is older, has experienced neglect or trauma, or has special needs. In the February 2014 issue of NCFA's Adoption Advocate, "Will I Love Her?": Love and Attachment in Adoption, Dr. Daniel Nehrbass shares his personal thoughts and reflections about the capacity for and characteristics of parental love.
Continue ReadingAdoption Advocate No. 67
NCFA's 2014 Policy Priorities and Adoption-Related Legislation
Authored By: Megan Lindsey
In the January 2014 issue of the Adoption Advocate, Megan Lindsey lays out NCFA's policy priorities for the coming year, and provides a review of recent and current adoption- and foster care-related legislation.
Continue ReadingAdoption Advocate No. 66
Recognizing FASD-Related Speech and Language Deficits in Internationally Adopted Children
Authored By: Tatyana Elleseff
In the December 2013 issue of NCFA's Adoption Advocate, speech language pathologist Tatyana Elleseff provides an overview of how prenatal alcohol exposure affects children's social, communicative, and cognitive development. She explains how and by whom alcohol-related deficits are typically diagnosed, and the ways in which various professionals can help parents create a comprehensive plan for children with these diagnoses.
Continue ReadingAdoption Advocate No. 65
My Story of Foster Care and Transracial Adoption
Authored By: Lucas Daniel Boyce
In the November 2013 issue of NCFA's Adoption Advocate, Lucas Daniel Boyce shares his story of being adopted out of foster care by his mother, Dorothy Boyce. Lucas, the author of Living Proof: From Foster Care to the White House and the NBA (2011) and the current Director of Business Development and Legislative Affairs for the Orlando Magic, relates his experiences as a transracial African-American adoptee and shares how adoption positively impacted and shaped his life.
Continue ReadingAdoption Advocate No. 64
The Role of Social Media in Adoption
Authored By: Tory Dorfman
The October 2013 issue of NCFA's Adoption Advocate explores some of the ways in which email, texting, and the rise of social media has impacted adoption. Finding the right balance between online or phone contact and traditional face-to-face contact is essential for social workers and adoption service providers, who must also be aware of the potential practical and ethical risks involved in online communication with clients.
Continue Reading