International Child Foundation
Adoption & Home Study Services

Adoption Education

We are committed to educating parents and professionals about current issues in international adoption. For families and adoption professionals, we provide

• Educational Conferences with representatives from the medical, social work and adoptive family communities ~ email us regarding our current schedule

• Adoption Education from International Child Foundation with these classes:

Adoption 101: International Adoption Overview

Adoption 201: Preparing to Adopt

Adoption 301: Issues in Adoption

Adoption 401: Older Child Adoption

Adoption 501: Post Adoption Transitions

We have reviewed the materials that are available for pre-adoptive families from a wide variety of sources. We recommend the following

• Adoption Learning Partners offers web-based e-learning courses on adoption topics that satisfy pre-adoption training requirements and serve as a continuing resource to families after adoption. Courses are offered free of charge. Certificates of Completion are available for a $25 fee. Courses currently available:

· Conspicuous Families: Race, Culture and Adoption (1.5 credit hours)

· The Journey of Attachment (2 hours)

· Let's Talk Adoption: A Lifetime of Family Conversations (2 hours)

· Finding the Missing Pieces: Helping Adopted Children Cope with Grief and Loss (2 hours)

· Understanding the Adoption Tax Credit (2 hours)

· With Eyes Wide Open: A Preparation Guide to International Adoption (10-20 hours) Note: There is a $25 fee to enroll. No additional charge for Certificate of Completion. http://www.adoptionlearningpartners.org

Because They Waited: an Adoptive Parent Education System available from Heart of the Matter Seminars. This is an interactive DVD presentation that fulfills Hague education requirements.

• The US Department of State has a comprehensive website on international adoption, with links to information on specific countries. http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/notices/notices_473.html

Adoption Literature and Recommended Reading

• Adoption Resource Book by Lois Gilman. A guide to what you need to know to create an adoptive family.

• Raising Adopted Children by Lois Melina. Looks at the special circumstances of adoptive parenting including adjustment of the family, bonding & attachment, talking to your child about adoption and behavior problems.

• Making Sense of Adoption by Lois Melina. Help for parents on how to talk with their children about adoption.

• Adoptive Families of America Magazine a bi-monthly magazine. To subscribe, call 1-800-372-3300

• Adopting: Sound Choices, Strong Families by Patricia Irwin Johnston. Geared to a broad audience of all who are family challenged.

International adoption books and recommended reading

• Are These Kids Yours? by Cheri Register. Affirms the normality of families formed through inter-country adoption & explores the special challenges these families face. Ethical issues are also addressed.

• With Eyes Wide Open Workbook for families adopting children over age one.

• Our Own, Adopting and Parenting the Older Child by Trish Maskew.

• Toddler Adoption: The Weaver's Craft by Mary Hopkins Best. All aspects of adopting and parenting toddler children.

Older child and special needs adoptions

• Adopting the Older Child by Claudia Jewett. Introduces people to the adoption of older children, follows the history of several children & their adoptive families, starting before the adoption & continuing through to the post-placement period.

• Holding Time by Martha Welch. Central message is that regular sessions of mother-child holding decreases anger, conflict, temper tantrums, & sibling rivalry & increases self-esteem, self-confidence, & contentment in infants through preteens.

• Adopting the Hurt Child: Hope for Families with Special Needs Kids by Gregory Keck & Regina Kupecky. Case studies on toll of impermanence on children and common symptoms of attachment disorder.

• Helping Children Cope with Separation and Loss by Claudia Jewett. Explains the grieving process children go through, whether from adoption, separation from family or foster family, death or divorce. Practical advice.

• Attaching in Adoption by Deborah Gray. Explains issues in relation to emotional development and provides practical tools to enhance attachment.

For families adopting from Eastern Europe

• Russian Adoption Handbook: How to Adopt a Child from Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan by John H. Maclean.

• Russka: The Novel of Russia by Edward Rutherford. A fascinating fictionalized narrative of the history of Russia

Search Amazon.com for books about adoption and children! ICF is a member of the Amazon.com Associates program. To use the link below, click on it. You will need to use "Back" on your browser to return to the International Child Foundation website.