Adoption and fostering Books

Book SynopsisThis groundbreaking and thought-provoking book puts the care experience at the centre of education history. Engaging and accessible, Critical Histories in Care and Education provides historical insight to the growing field of care studies and reveals how nineteenth-century assumptions and prejudices about care-experienced pupils helped shape education policy and continue to do so today.Drawing together original archive research with critical theory and written by an academic researcher and writer who is a foster carer herself, the book challenges some of the key myths and stereotypes involving the care experience and shines an illuminating light on their origins. Aimed primarily at undergraduate and postgraduate students in education, this book identifies discursive threads and provides a fresh insight through a critical retelling of the history of the care system. In combining the histories of care and education, it challenges some taken-for-granted assumptions about

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Book SynopsisThis accessible guide provides a detailed and practical understanding of how to support Children Looked After (CLA), exploring concepts surrounding identity and the key role professionals can play by becoming advocates for these children. With a mixture of theory, reflection, and application to practice, the book considers contemporary topics, from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), labelling and stigma, to the relationships surrounding Children Looked After.Embedded within the chapters are positive everyday practices, case studies and dialogues, all of which help to create a safe space for children to develop their own sense of self. Throughout the book, outdated views are challenged and replaced with the voices of children and young people themselves, and strategies and opportunities are provided for the reader to truly understand the perspectives of Children Looked After and to develop their practice to best support their needs and wellbeing. Care is taken to refer to C

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Book SynopsisExplores the role played by missionaries in the twentieth-century transnational adoption movement Between 1953 and 2018, approximately 170,000 Korean children were adopted by families in dozens of different countries, with Americans providing homes to more than two-thirds of them. In an iconic photo taken in 1955, Harry and Bertha Holt can be seen descending from a Pan American World Airways airplane with twelve Asian babieseight for their family and four for other families. As adoptive parents and evangelical Christians who identified themselves as missionaries, the Holts unwittingly became both the metaphorical and literal parental figures in the growing movement to adopt transnationally. Missionaries pioneered the transnational adoption movement in America. Though their role is known, there has not yet been a full historical look at their theological motivationswhich varied depending on whether they were evangelically or ecumenically focusedand what the effects were for American socTrade ReviewA major breakthrough in the study of the transnational adoption movement in the postwar era. In a field dominated by social scientific approaches, Chung’s emphasis on the religious dimension is unique and significant, serving to broaden and deepen our understanding of the adoption movement and its impacts. Adopting for God’s originality, depth, and insightfulness make it a necessary and significant read for scholars from many fields. -- Kevin Xiyi Yao, author of The Fundamentalist Movement among the Protestant Missionaries in China, 1920–1937A strongly written, compelling account of adoption evangelists who promoted transnational adoptions while also evangelizing for God. This book cogently demonstrates that during the Cold War context, Christians’ theological convictions had the power to shape America’s institutions of family and race. Chung’s scholarship deftly integrates Transracial Adoption Studies and Asian American Studies with a nuanced understanding of religion. -- Russell Jeung, San Francisco State UniversityAdopting for God uncovers the influential—yet flawed—gendered anti-racism work of a previous generation, and how it promoted the acceptance of Korean and mixed-race adoptions. Soojin Chung’s compelling study explains why interracial adoption and child sponsorship continue to shape the outreach of American Christians today. I highly recommend this splendid and readable study, especially for scholars concerned with the intersections of race, gender, family history, and Cold War politics. -- Dana Robert, Boston UniversityAdopting for God deals with American Christians—of both evangelical and ecumenical persuasions—who urged their fellow Americans to open their hearts and homes to non-White adoptees, especially children from war-torn Korea. * Christian Century Book Review *[S]cholars can thank Soojin Chung for another contribution to our growing understanding of the multi-faceted ways in which missionaries have shaped American culture. - Philip D. Byers, University of Notre Dame. -- Fides et Historia * Fides et Historia *Not only does Chung provide us with comprehensive timelines and biographies of adoption evangelicals; even more importantly, Chung critically assesses the consequences of their actions, establishes a connection between history and current trends, and sheds light on rich intricacies of our Christian history that are not widely known and deserve our utmost attention. Adopting for God is a formative text for anyone interested in studying the legacy of the transnational adoption movement in the US, advancing the discipline of Christian missiology, or conducting comparative research of transnational adoption across other racial and ethnic contexts. -- Maci Sepp * Reading Religion - American Academy of Religion *All audiences will learn from this volume as it is written in an accessible and engaging manner, providing context and definition, as needed, to support the points presented. It is necessary to understand the history of transnational adoption in the United States to bring context to current issues, including the identity development of adult Korean adoptees wanting to incorporate their Korean ethnicity and culture. Adopting for God impacts understanding of transnational adoption in very positive ways. -- Church History * Church History *

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Book SynopsisA new paperback format filled with 365 days worth of daily tips, inspirational quotes, and motivational short stories from foster care expert Dr. John DeGarmo Foster parenting is both a rewarding and a challenging job, a lifestyle of continuous learning and new experiences, and The Little Book of Foster Care Wisdom will be there to support you as you, in turn, support your foster children. Filled with 365 days worth of daily tips, inspirational quotes, and motivational short stories from a foster care expert, this book is a must-read for modern child-welfare advocates, adoptive parents, and foster parents. It provides inspirational content every day, including instructions, tips, anecdotes, and more.

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Book SynopsisTrauma can have a significant impact on the stability of a child's development and can put additional pressures on the education staff working with them. Showing you how you can best support children who have experienced adverse childhood experiences, this guide is full of practical guidance on how you can adapt your teaching with this group.Covering a range of issues a child may have, such as foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, pathological demand avoidance, attachment difficulties and many more, this book provides the trauma-informed tools you need to care for these children and to give the best possible opportunities from their education. It also addresses the difference children may experience in learning, how they behave, how teachers can ensure home--school cooperation, and how teachers can act in a trauma-informed manner.

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Book SynopsisLife isn't all fairytales and glass slippers... ‘Cinderella’, I wish! is the powerful true story of Dominiquè DeVeraux’s life. Beginning with her early childhood as a young black child living with loving white foster parents, Dominiquè is content and adored. But when Nanny dies suddenly, Dominiquè is taken away from the loving home that she knew and thrust into a world of trouble. Dumped in a new home with strangers, Dominiquè’s life turns to one of difficulty and misery. In her fight for happiness she faces more and more abusers, domestic violence, rape and murder. Ploughing on regardless, Dominiquè chooses love as her weapon and shield. In this story of courage, our protagonist rises above the challenges she faces to celebrate life and to love herself indubitably.

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Book SynopsisBased on the pioneering Seven Core Issues model, this resource is an accessible and age-appropriate way to support children and teens who have experienced early adversity, to strengthen understanding and healing. The Seven Core Issues are Loss, Rejection, Shame/Guilt, Grief, Identity, Intimacy and Mastery/Control. This resource combines two separate interactive workbooks - one for children developmentally aged 5-11, the other for children developmentally aged 12+. These can be filled in, photocopied or downloaded and provide a structured way for children and teens to explore their feelings and beliefs using exercises and activities. An ideal accompaniment to the Seven Core Issues Workbook for Parents of Traumatized Children and Teens, this resource will be valued by all adults supporting children who have experienced early adversity.Trade ReviewThis unique, important workbook provides tools, knowledge and insights that every professional (and parent) should have to help children and teens overcome their challenges and enhance their lives. I cannot recommend it highly enough. -- Adam Pertman, president of the National Center on Adoption and Permanency, author of “Adoption Nation”Essential in working with teens and children impacted by adoption or the foster care system. An invaluable resource in integrating their lived experience around attachment, loss and identity in practical and profoundly healing ways. -- DeeDee Mascarenas, LMFT, Psychotherapist, Keynote Presenter, TrainerWith great sensitivity and expertise, Allison Davis Maxon guides children and teens through a series of therapeutic activities and exercises tailored to their unique emotional needs. This workbook is a self-guided tool that provides strategies to gently explore their trauma, allowing healing to regain a sense of control and self-esteem. -- Mary M. McGowan, Executive Director ATTACh.orgAllison Davis Maxon has created a unique, strength-based, and culturally sensitive workbook to assist children and teens in examining their Seven Core Issues. It is the third publication about the Seven Core Issues meant to enlighten, empower, and offer a roadmap to healing. All children separated from their families of origin have a trauma, even if it occurs right after birth. Many children have additional traumas based on subsequent moves and losses. Most of these traumas occurred at a pre-verbal time in a child's life but are remembered in the body. They need to be teased out through the types of exercises this workbook offers. The workbook is a tool to empower children who have experienced foster care, adoption, and relative care. Often children and teens' voices have been unheard, leaving their parents and professionals without the true knowledge needed to address and heal childhood wounds or to respond to child and teens' concerns and questions. Through the use of the tools in the workbook, attachments are deepened, and healing can occur. -- Sharon Kaplan Roszia M.S., coauthor of Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency and The Seven Core Issues Workbook for Parents of Traumatized Children and Teens

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Book SynopsisRestorative justice is an innovative approach to addressing conflict and bullying, as well as disruptive, challenging and criminal behaviour. A restorative approach in a care setting shifts the emphasis from managing and responding to anti-social behaviour to the building, nurturing and repairing of relationships, and encourages the young person to accept responsibility and put things right. In this photocopiable resource, Belinda Hopkins identifies the practical benefits of employing the restorative approach. In extreme cases, this can mean dealing with serious incidents effectively without recourse to the police and the criminal justice system. For day-to-day interactions the approach builds on the principles of social pedagogy and 'restorative parenting', and offers a fresh look at encouraging self-regulation through the promotion of pro-social behaviour and greater involvement of the young people themselves in making choices that address everyone's needs.Just Care is essential reading for residential care managers and staff, social workers, youth offending team managers and those with responsibility for foster care training and development.Trade ReviewBelinda Hopkins' transfer of emphasis from restorative justice to restorative approaches, which highlight the benefits of proactive behaviour reinforcement rather than just using it as a reactive intervention, is most welcome... Just Care is a practical guide full of activities and examples for any practitioner who wants to adopt restorative approaches with children in public care. -- Children & Young People NowThere are few people who really "walk the walk" as well as "talking the talk" (and writing the words) - Belinda is one of them, and it shines through this book. And when it comes down to it, the restorative approaches and communications for children and staff she describes are not just a topic for specialists - it is good practice for all of us to follow in our Quaker Meetings and other communities. -- Quakers in Criminal JusticeTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. Foreword. 1. Restorative Justice and Restorative Approaches – Setting the Context. 2. The Restorative Mindset. 3. Restorative Enquiry – Asking the Right Questions. 4. Restorative Dialogue – Sorting Things Out Together. 5. Small Restorative Meetings. 6. Conferencing. 7. Circles. 8. Working in Partnership. 9. Implementation and Sustainability. Epilogue. Appendices: Appendix A: Restorative Enquiry One-to-One. Appendix B: Checklist for Preparing For a Restorative Conference. Appendix C: How Things Were Put Right - Restorative Enquiry. Appendix D: How Things Were Put Right - Restorative Meeting. Appendix E: How Things Were Put Right. Appendix F: Case Study Form. Appendix G: Further Reading about Restorative Justice. Appendix H: Useful Websites. Bibliography. Index

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Book SynopsisChildren and young people in care who have been traumatized need a therapeutic environment where they can heal and which meets their emotional and developmental needs.This book provides a model of care for traumatized children and young people, based on theory and practice experience pioneered at the Lighthouse Foundation, Australia. The authors explain the impact of trauma on child development, drawing on psychodynamic, attachment and neurobiological trauma theories. The practical aspects of undertaking therapeutic care are then outlined, covering everything from forming therapeutic relationships to the importance of the home environment and daily routines. The book considers the totality of the child's experience at the individual, group, organization and community levels and argues that attention to all of these is essential if the child is to achieve wellness. Case material from both children and carers are used throughout to illustrate both the impact of trauma and how children have been helped to recovery through therapeutic care.This book will provide anyone caring for traumatized children and young people in a residential setting with both the understanding and the practical knowledge to help children recover. It will be essential reading for managers and decision-makers responsible for looked after children, child care workers such as residential and foster carers, youth workers, social workers, mental health workers and child welfare academics.Trade ReviewFrom the introduction through the final appendices, I was struck by the constant and integrated presence of thinking, feeling and reflection as integral to meeting the needs of young people, whether at an individual or organisational level... This book offers vision and motivation to those with requisite courage to work towards a more humane system of care for children and young people. -- The British Journal of Social Work, Laura Steckley, Course Director, MSc Advanced Residential Child Care, Glasgow School of Social WorkThe simplicity in presentation, however, demonstrates one of the key accomplishments of the authors in having been able to present so much potentially complex theory in having been able to present so much potentially complex theory in a way that is accessible and of great practical use... the authors achieve their aims and more by providing some sound knowledge, inspiration and food for thought for anyone with an interest in residential child care practice. -- RostrumThis book reports on the therapeutic model of care that has been developed by the Lighthouse Foundation in Australia. In doing so, the theoretical underpinnings of this model are articulated and how this gets translated into day-to-day care is described... Hopefully, this book will stimulate discussion in a range of residential care setting and result in the establishment of some progressive and improved care practices. -- Journal of Children AustraliaThis truly global book is the product o an interesting and creative collaboration between leaders and practitioners in residential group treatment settings in Australia (The Lighthouse Community) and the UK (The Cotswold Community, SACCS). It is a long overdue contribution towards the theory base required to equip people working in multiple roles in environments that aim to be healing in its broadest sense. I enjoyed it as much for the elements of human testimony as for the attempts made to link eclectic theory with practice. -- Psychoanalytic PsychotherapyThis is one of those rare books that successfully brings together the human and the academic. It provides a comprehensive and clear account of the theoretically based model of care used by the Lighthouse community, whilst bringing this to life with the real-life stories of young people and carers involved with this organization. Theory and concepts are described clearly and with understanding, but most importantly the authors have illustrated how these are used in practice to transform the lives of young people and carers alike. This book belongs in the collections of all practitioners involved with traumatized children and young people living in residential care. -- Kim S. Golding, Clinical Psychologist and author of Nurturing AttachmentsTable of ContentsForeword. Acknowledgements. Authors' Note. Introduction. What is child abuse and neglect? The cost of abuse. The need for early intervention, treatment and prevention. 1. The Importance of a Theoretical Base. The relationship between theory and practice. Theory in the caring professions. Psychodynamic thinking. Psychodynamic concepts. The relationship between the organization and therapeutic task. The treatment approach. Attachment and trauma-informed theories. The influence of Winnicott on therapeutic residential care. Individual, family, community and societal wellness theory. Conclusion. 2. Trauma-Informed Practice. How traumatization develops in childhood. Trauma causes hyperarousal and fear in children. Childhood trauma reduces the brain's capacity to think and regulate emotions. Trauma disconnects children from relational resources. Trauma restricts the attention capacity of children. Trauma-based behaviour has a functional purpose. Trauma restricts children's ability to deal with change. Trauma undermines identity formation in children. Trauma affects social skills development and impacts on peer relationships. The impact of trauma on the child's internal working model. Relationship and attachment difficulties. Physical wellbeing. The basics of trauma treatment. 3. Therapeutic Relationships. Beginnings. Information gathering and assessment. The intake process. Attachment. Secure base. Commitment. Continuity of care. Working with loss. Role modelling. Personal growth. Creating capacity for relationship building: one-to-one time with children. Unique needs. The importance of the relationship when challenging behaviour. Challenging behaviour as a sign of hope. The role of touch in the healing process. Consequences vs punishment. Promoting responsible children (empowerment processes). Participation of children and young people in the organization. 4. Demands and Rewards of the Work: Staff Support. Working with challenging and aggressive behaviour. Physical and emotional wellbeing. Working with anxiety. Communication challenges. Therapeutic supervision: working with feelings. Safety and containment. The impact of trauma work on our own memories and experiences of childhood. 5. The Home Environment. Home aesthetics. Encouraging play and curiosity. Privacy and security. 6. The Holding Environment and Daily Routines. Routines, limits and anchor points. Daily programme. Use of television and computers. Free time. The importance of food in the healing process. Bedtime and waking routines. Play. Celebrations as a sense of belonging. 7. The Organization and Community. The language of the organization. Trauma re-enactment and its impact on the organization. Management and the therapeutic task. The lighthouse foundation as an open system. Leadership. Authority. Managing change. The organization's vision. Sense of community. Sense of family and home. Organization as family. Local community. Community committees as a containing membrane. Collective wellness. 8. Group Processes. 'I feel like saying' process. Shared history: culture passed on through stories. Strong culture. Child safety. Reflective practice. Emotional intelligence. Emotional wellness. Transparency and openness. Family meetings. Combined family meetings. Whole family meetings. Youth forums. Clinical supervision (relationship between carers). Clinical peer supervision (carers' meeting). Mediation processes. 9. Moving On: Transitions, Aftercare and Outreach. Transition as a separation experience. Life membership. Transitional planning and transitional objects. Transition celebrations. Stepping stones: transitional programmes. Assessing readiness for transition. Carer relationship beyond transition. Aftercare programme. Outreach. Children returning to work with the organization. 10. Outcomes-Based Practice. Outcomes-based approaches. The need for evidence. Measuring outcomes. Difficulties in measuring outcomes. Potential benefits and value of developing an outcomes-based approach. Appendix 1 Susan's Story. Appendix 2 The Lighthouse Therapeutic Family Model of Care. About the Authors. References. Index.

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Book SynopsisA Guide to Therapeutic Child Care provides an easy to read explanation of the secrets that lie behind good quality therapeutic child care.It describes relevant theories, the 'invisible' psychological challenges that children will often struggle with and how to develop a nurturing relationship and build trust. Combining advice with practical strategies, the book also provides specific guidance on how to create safe spaces (both physical and relational) and how to aid the development of key social or emotional skills for children which may be lacking as a result of early trauma. Written with input from foster carers, the book is an ideal guide for residential child care workers, foster carers, kinship carers, social workers and new adoptive parents.Trade ReviewThis is a little gem. Honest and engaging, optimistic and realistic, respectful and challenging this accessible and invaluable book thoughtfully explores the everyday experiences and practices that arise in caring for children with traumatic and distressing histories. Adopters, foster carers and practitioners will find the experience of reading it simultaneously intellectually informative and emotionally nurturing. -- Gillian Ruch, Professor of Social Work, University of SussexThis is a really good guide, easy to read and great for dipping in and out of. I particularly liked the 'Pause for Reflection' ideas that help the reader think of examples that they have. Some really good examples of how all children behave at times but particularly children in foster care. I think foster carers will find it a useful tool. -- Kevin Williams, CEO The Fostering NetworkThis book is filled with a wisdom, compassion and warmth that will inspire carers in their relationships with troubled children. It is a treasure trove of insights about how to understand and respond positively to what lies behind challenging behaviour. The authors draw from a deep well of know-how and experience. They write accessibly - and in a way that rings true on every page. Here is a book that genuinely will help carers to change children's lives. -- Robbie Gilligan, Professor of Social Work and Social Policy, Trinity College DublinThis book provides an excellent resource for introducing foster and residential carers to therapeutic child care. It is thorough and covers all of the central subjects involved in looking after children in 'out of home' care. It would make a very useful tool for supervision and training, where the material could be used as a focus for reflective discussions. Encouraging a reflective approach is the strength of the book. Pause and reflect is a theme throughout, with sections in each chapter focusing on feelings that might arise in the work and practical suggestions on what might be helpful. The authors argue that home and everyday care are the most important things in the child's healing. They have provided carers and those who support them with a great resource in achieving that worthy goal. -- Patrick Tomlinson, Professional and Organization Development SpecialistThe greatest compliment I could give to a book is "Damn, I wish I had written this book myself" and with regard to this book, I would like to say "Damn, I wish I had written this book myself". This book is brilliant, in both the UK and North American sense. It makes the complex clear - it makes theory practical and accessible. It speaks directly to those who work with traumatized young people while, at the same time, it speaks to the world of the practitioner. It focuses not only on the world of the traumatized child but also on the experience of everyone who is a part of the context of the encounter between child and carer. This book is an exceptional resource for students, teams and individuals who want to make a difference in the lives of young people living with trauma experiences. It is full of helpful examples, the 'practice examples' bring the knowledge home to the everyday experiences of carers. It emphasizes the importance of both parties to the healing relationship. It is a wonderful resource for those who work with, teach about, or study the effect of trauma on youth. It is written in clear and accessible language. It is, simply, brilliant and I wish I had written this book. -- Dr. Thom Garfat, Instructor, School of Child and Youth Care, Ryerson UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. 1. Introduction. 2. The Developing Person. 3. Tuning In and Attunement. 4. Healing and Containing: Relationships as a Source of Recovery. 5. Rhythms, Routines and Rituals. 6. Memory Keepers: The Role of Carers in Keeping Hold of the Child's Story. 7. Food and Its Everyday Use. 8. Touch. 9. Communicating. 10. Working With Pain-Based Behaviour. 11. Bridge to the World. 12. Conclusion. References.

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Book SynopsisShe doesn't want this baby.She can't look after this baby.She will never be able to love this baby.Little Abby's life begins badly, then just gets worse.Now foster mum Louise and her family must help her deal with the truth of her past to give her the chance of a future.Abby's Story is the latest book in the series THROWN AWAY CHILDREN by author and foster mum Louise Allen.

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Book SynopsisAshley is a young single mum raising her daughter, Eden, and working hard to do the very best job she can – until one night she can't find a babysitter and makes the decision to leave Eden home alone for a couple of hours, asleep inside a wardrobe. It is an action that begins a terrible downward spiral for both of them. When Eden arrives at experienced foster carer Louise Allen's home, she has entered the care system because her mother is in prison. Eden is five years old and will not speak to any human. She begins exhibiting some other disturbing behaviours alongside the mutism, too, including torturing the family pets she loves. This eventually leads Louise to discover the pain and tragic reality behind Eden's Story.

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Book SynopsisLouise gets a frantic call to take in a damaged and destructive young girl. Separated from her siblings, Sparkle is hostile and angry. A short while after settling in, Sparkle begins to identify as pansexual. A revolution is underway in the Allen household, with Sparkle’s transition motivating all of the young people to explore what becoming an adult means for them. But it’s Sparkle’s escalating behaviour that causes concern. Discovering a dark fact about Sparkle’s birth and the shocking events that the children in her house were part of, Louise is desperate for more help – and not just for the child in her care. As Sparkle’s erratic and violent behaviour increases, Louise finds herself and her homelife under serious threat.

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Book SynopsisThe children of The Adoption Club have lots of different feelings about adoption.Michael was scared when he first met this adopted family, and was worried his adoptive family might not keep him. Other children talk about feeling happy, sad and angry, and how feeling can make them behave strangely. This workbook gives children a way to sort out feelings, discuss them and feel better.Written for counsellors and therapists working with children aged 5-11, as well as adoptive parents, this workbook is designed to help children to explore their feelings and behavior. It is one of a set of five interactive therapeutic workbooks featuring The Adoption Club written to address the key emotional and psychological challenges adopted children often experience. Together, they provide an approachable, interactive and playful way to help children to learn about themselves and have fun at the same time.Trade ReviewThe Adoption Club series by Regina M. Kupecky is a novel concept for helping adopted children share their stories. This therapeutic tool will help adoptees find and use their voices. Thank you, Regina! -- Sherrie Eldridge, author and speaker in the field of adoptionTable of ContentsIntroduction. Story. Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisThis book addresses the psychosocial complexities of adoption from multiple perspectives, including the biological family, adopted child, and adoptive parents. It highlights the must-have sensitivity and tactfulness for recurring discussions of the adoption situation.Organized into 10 parts, the book begins with a brief outline of the history of adoption and its legal status from antiquity to modern times. Chapters in the first half of the book examine critical topics such as different parenthood situations, stress and pain processes in early childhood, and challenges of domestic, international, transcultural, transracial, foster, and sexual and gender minorities adoption. Within the second half of the book, chapters describe the birth parents' difficulties in relinquishing their infant, the motives of the adoptive parents, and the hardships of the adoptive children in self-development. The final chapters address the topic of deprivation, traumatization, and developmental trauma disorders on a psychodynamic level accompanied by clinical vignettes. Unique, perceptive, and insightful, Adoption, A Life Long Process is an essential resource for all of those involved in the adoption process, including counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, adoptive parents, and biological parents.Table of ContentsContentForeword I Introduction History of adoption II Parenthood Early parent-child interaction and disorders Parenthood by adoption Parenthood by reproductive medicine Parenthood by surrogacy Parenthood of foster children III Stress and Pain Neurobiological responses to stress Separation distress Neurobiological aspects of pain Pain and stress processing IV Adoption Research Genetic – environmental interactions Risk, protective factors, and resilience Early versus late adoption Epidemiological studies Domestic, international, transracial, foster Adoption Adoption by sexual and gender minorities Open adoption Dissolution of the adoption relationship V Relationship biological parents – children – adoptive parents Biological parents Adoptive parents Children Siblings Relationship and filiation breakdown Psychic trauma and developmental trauma disorders Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Intergenerational transmission Mourning process Pathological grief and secrets Relationship and filiation building Adoption attachment and relationship Conflicts of loyalty Revealing the adoption Family Romance Identity development and crisis Search for origins Adoption of older children Family Dynamics Narrative VI Clinical Vignettes Preschool age School age Adolescence Young adulthood VII Professional help Therapeutic interventions Family Therapy Individual psychotherapy of the child Psychoanalytically oriented psychodrama group therapy Specific topics in the therapeutic process with adoptees Tasks of the Placement office Pre and postadoption services VIII Annex The Story of Oedipus Glossary, Literature

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Book SynopsisBased on a hugely successful US model, the Seven Core Issues in Adoption is the first conceptual framework of its kind to offer a unifying lens that was inclusive of all individuals touched by the adoption experience. The Seven Core Issues are Loss, Rejection, Shame/Guilt, Grief, Identity, Intimacy, and Mastery/Control. The book expands the model to be inclusive of adoption and all forms of permanency: adoption, foster care, kinship care, donor insemination and surrogacy. Attachment and trauma are integrated with the Seven Core Issues model to address and normalize the additional tasks individuals and families will encounter. The book views the Seven Core Issues from a range of perspectives including: multi-racial, LGBTQ, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, African-American, International, openness, search and reunion, and others. This essential guide introduces each Core Issue, its impact on individuals, offering techniques for growth and healing.Trade ReviewFor decades, I have been responding to these "seven core issues" as an adopted person, as a parent by adoption, as a poet. Now I imagine myself as a therapist trying to help someone in the adoption constellation. I would definitely want this book close at hand. -- Penny Callan Partridge, Co-founder in 1973, Adoption Forum of PhiladelphiaA beautifully-organized handbook, full of both strong, conceptual understandings and practical recommendations for living, surviving and thriving in this world of adoption. -- Michael Trout, Director The Infant-Parent InstituteAs an adopted person, I'm very familiar with the seven core issues, both comprehensively and experientially. Yet even with my prior knowledge, there was a deeper understanding to be attained through the pages of this book. Having had the pleasure to work with and consider both Sharon and Allison my friends, I've seen first hand the passion they have for adoption and helping children find permanence. Their collective expertise, contained here, is, in my opinion, the gold standard for understanding and working towards permanence in adoption. -- Keith Silverstein, Voice Actor and Adoption AdvocateToo often as healthcare providers, we focus on the medical, contractual, and economic aspects of adoption and 3rd party reproduction. Acknowledging the 7 core issues and their impact on all parties associated with this process is an important first step in improving the care we deliver to our patients. -- Matthew C. Goering, Ph.D., HCLD University of Kansas School of Medicine, Center for Advanced Reproductive MedicineAs an adoptive Dad of three kids from foster care, I found the book to be an insightful and useful resource. It gives voice to both the challenges and resiliencies of those touched by foster care and adoption. -- Sean Anders, writer/director of Paramount Pictures’ Instant FamilyWhat do you get when two highly experienced, talented, thoughtful and respected adoption experts write a book together? The answer is this exceptional piece of work, which falls into the rare `must have, must read and must use' category of literature relating to all sorts of `nontraditional' families. From my perspective as both an adoption professional and an adoptive parent, I couldn't recommend it more strongly. -- Adam Pertman, President of the National Center on Adoption and Permanency and author of “Adoption Nation”This is a very comprehensive, inclusive, updated version of The Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency, which is definitely an amazing resource for families, agency professionals, clinicians, academics, consultants and many others impacted by adoption. The excellent contributing authors have had a variety of professional and personal experiences related to child welfare (i.e. as adoptees, foster youth, kinship care providers, and adoptive and foster parents), as well as having professional training and expertise in working with diverse population groups impacted by the child welfare system. Not only does this book highlight the core issues of adoption and permanency, it is unique, as it includes specific chapters which focus on these issues for ethnically diverse families including: Latinos, African Americans, Tribal communities, Asian and multi-racial families. The book includes content on the implications of the core issues in work with adoptive, kinship families, birth/first families, foster families, and LGBTQ families. It provides very real and practical examples of the impact of losses, vicarious trauma experienced by children and parents, while including content on strategies for coping and gaining resilience. I would highly recommend this book for use in courses on "Contemporary Issues in Adoption and Foster Care", "Child Welfare" and others which are designed to prepare professionals for work in this very important area. -- Ruth G. McRoy, Ph.D Professor Emeritus Boston College School of Social WorkThis is a book that has been itching to be written for a very long time, as the framework of the Seven Core Issues has shaped thinking on adoption for the last three decades. Yet the benefit that this book was not written until now is that it is even more expansive. Rarely if ever have I read a book that covers so much ground so effectively. I have immense respect for the authors and their work. Roszia and Davis Maxon are critical thought leaders. -- Betsie Norris, adoptee, executive director Adoption Network Cleveland: The Ohio Family ConnectionTable of ContentsForeword: by Deborah Silverstein; Preface; 1. Introduction: Seven Core Issues in Adoption & Permanency; 2. Loss; 3. Rejection; 4. Shame and Guilt; 5. Grief; 6. Identity; 7. Intimacy; 8. Mastery and Control; Appendices: Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency; 1. The Authors' Foundational Values and Beliefs; 2. Rituals and Ceremonies for Healing by Sharon Kaplan Roszia and Allison Davis Maxon; 3. Forgiveness by Sharon Kaplan Roszia and Allison Davis Maxon; 4. A Child's Developmental Journey Through Adoption & Permanency by Allison Davis Maxon; 5. Seven Core Issues and Foster Care by Sharon Kaplan Roszia and Allison Davis Maxon; 6. The Seven Core Issues and Kinship Families by Joseph Crumbley and Allison Davis Maxon; 7. The Seven Core Issues and LGBTQ Families by Abbie Goldberg, Clark University, MA, USA and Cynthia Roe; 8. The Seven Core Issues as Seen Through the Eyes of the Latino Family by Dee Dee Mascarenas; 9. Seven Core Issues and the African American Family by Lynn White Dixon; 10. Seven Core Issues and the Multi-Racial Family by Lynn White Dixon; 11. The Seven Core Issues in International Adoption: From an Asian Adoptee by Huyen Friedlander; 12. Seven Core Issues in Adoption/Permanency in Tribal Communities by Kathryn England Aytes; 13. Siblings and the Seven Core Issues by Heidi Staples; 14. The Search and Reunion Experience Through the Lens of the Seven Core Issues in Adoption/Permanency by Gina McKernon-Cindrich; 15. The Seven Core Issues in International Adoptions by Lynne Silver; 16. Openness and the Seven Core Issues in Adoption/Permanency by Sharon Kaplan Roszia; 17. Single Parenting and the Seven Core Issues and Adoption/Permanency by Mary McGowan; 18. The Seven Core Issues and Third Party Reproduction and Surrogacy by Kris Probasco; 19. The Seven Core Issues and Step Parent Adoptions by Michael Grand; 20. Adopted Children with Special Health Care Needs by Carol Biddle; 21. Schools, Learning and the Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency by Blaze Newman; 22. The Lifecycle of the Adoptive/Permanency Family - Stages and Tasks by Sharon Kaplan Roszia; Contributor Biographies; References; Index

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Book SynopsisBorn in a prison and removed from his drug-dependent mother, rejection is all that 7-year-old Alex knows.When Cathy is asked to foster little Alex, aged 7, her immediate reaction is: Why can't he stay with his present carers for the last month? He's already had many moves since coming into care as a toddler and he'll only be with her a short while before he goes to live with his permanent adoptive family. But the present carers are expecting a baby and the foster mother isn't coping, so Alex goes to live with Cathy.He settles easily and is very much looking forward to having a forever family of his own. The introductions and move to his adoptive family go well. But Alex is only with them for a week when problems begin. What happens next is both shocking and upsetting, and calls into question the whole adoption process.

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Book SynopsisDo you know your real parents? is a question many adoptees are asked. In In Reunion, Sara Docan-Morgan probes the basic notions of family, adoption, and parenthood by exploring initial meetings and ongoing relationships that transnational Korean adoptees have had with their birth parents and other birth family members. Drawing from qualitative interviews with adult Korean adoptees in the United States and Denmark, as well as her own experiences as an adoptee, Docan-Morgan illuminates the complexities of communication surrounding reunion. The paradoxes of adoption and reunionshared history without blood relations, and blood relations without shared historygenerate questions: What does it mean to be family? How do people use communication to constitute family relationships? How are family relationships created, maintained, and negotiated over time? In Reunion details adoptive and cultural identities, highlighting how adoptees often end up shouldering communicative responsibility in thTrade Review“Bridging the fields of communication studies and critical adoption studies, In Reunion is a groundbreaking text weaving together the social sciences and humanities to grapple with what it means when we make sense of how reunion is performed—the emotional work undertaken—to consider how adoptees negotiate the discursive burden produced by the act of reuniting. Docan-Morgan attends to the language and cultural gaps and the work adoptees undertake to mitigate those chasms. She expertly and effectively positions herself as a scholar and adoptee, deftly weaving intimate vignettes of her own experiences to tell the stories of reunion.”—Kimberly D. McKee, author of Adoption Fantasies: The Fetishization of Asian Adoptees from Girlhood to Womanhood“An unparalleled text, In Reunion shines light on an understudied, paradoxical family phenomenon—transnational adoptee birth-family reunions. Sara Docan-Morgan artfully interweaves her story with stories of other Korean adoptees to unveil complexities and beauties of being in reunion. Immensely readable, In Reunion raises larger questions about family, belonging, and identity. Drawing upon her expertise as a communication scholar, Docan-Morgan illuminates the role communication plays in the unfolding of these relationships across time, space, and differences in language and culture. In Reunion is a must-read for adoptees, adoptive parents, scholars, and all who work with and support the transnational adoption constellation.” —Elizabeth A. Suter, Professor of Communication Studies at the University of Denver

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Book SynopsisA child is coming – whether you approve or not it's time to get with the program!If someone you care about – a family member, co-worker, or close friend – has recently announced that their family will be growing through adoption, you may have questions. After all, unless you have personally experienced adoption, you may know very little about how adoption works and what it means. Are you worried that your loved one may face disappointment? Do you find yourself wondering exactly what your role is going to be in the child's life? Does the term "open adoption" confuse and concern you? Just what are the privacy boundaries for families built by adoption: what is it okay to ask about?Adoption Is a Family Affair! will answer all of these questions and more, offering you information about who can adopt, why people consider adopting, how kids understand adoption as they grow up, and more. This short book is crammed full of the 'need to know' information for friends and families that will help to encourage informed, happy and healthy family relationships.Trade ReviewTired of foolish comments about adoption from your family and friends? If so, Adoption is a Family Affair by Pat Johnston was designed for you. This introduction to the pitfalls, misconceptions, and issues around adoption is intended to be a basic “Adoption 101" for your parents or for anyone else new to the idea of adoption. As prospective adoptive parents immerse themselves in the adoption process, they may not have time or patience to explain their new way of thinking and findings to their parents or friends. Sometimes it just feels too overwhelming to correct all of society's common assumptions and misapprehensions. Pat's emphatic no-nonsense style can be a useful tool toward opening a dialog about these issues which are inherent in adoptive families in our society. Adoption is a Family Affair provides a basic education on the psychological aspects of adoption and the adoption process. … Adoptive parents and prospective adoptive parents who are coping with “adoptism” (that is, the belief that adoption is a second best way to be a family) will find Adoption is a Family Affair a useful resource. -- Adoption Book Review NewsletterDon't you wish that there was an easy way to explain the how's and why's of adoption to your parents and the other members of your family? Adoption Is a Family Affair will make them feel like they've sat down with a close friend to have a coffee klatsch about adoption. This book's conversational tone and wealth of information will turn them into adoption experts! -- Nebraska Children's Home SocietyThis is a great book covering the basics of adoption. It focuses heavily on discounting myths and misconceptions, and presenting clear explanations of often confusing concepts and practices. A wonderful book for those from whom we need support and encouragement. -- Adoption@About.com's Top Five Books About AdoptionAdoption Is A Family Affair! What Relatives And Friends Must Know is specifically written to correct commonly held myths and misconceptions about adoption and adopters. One example is the wide spread myth that people often conceive after adopting because they then “relax” and things just happen naturally. The truth is that only 5% of those who adopt will spontaneously conceive after adopting — the same percentage figure as for those infertile couples who do not adopt! Adoption Is A Family Affair! is very highly recommended reading for prospective adopters, and for their friends and family as well! -- Midwest Book Review/Internet BookWatchThis book is designed for grandparents and family members of people going through the process of adoption. It is a short but very helpful guide. Much of the practical information relates to processes in the US, but also briefly covers processes in the UK and other countries... written by people who have experienced the challenges of supporting their children as they go through the adoption process... Each section has recommended further reading, and this book would make an excellent resource as well as a useful gift for the grandparents to be. -- Youth in MindTable of Contents1. The Announcement. 2. Your Personal, Private Fears. 3. Turning Loss into Gain. 4. How Adoption Works: The Facts vs. Myths. 5. Getting Ready. 6. Home at Last! 7. Parenting in Adoption. 8. Adoption Issues through a Lifetime. 9. Expanding the Family Culture. 10. Special Issues. 11. Adoption and the Rest of the World. 12. How You Can Learn More.

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Book SynopsisIs transracial adoption a positive choice for kids? How can children gain their new families without losing their birth heritage? How can parents best support their children after placement? Inside Transracial Adoption is an authoritative guide to navigating the challenges and issues that parents face in the USA when they adopt a child of a different race and/or from a different culture. Filled with real-life examples and strategies for success, this book explores in depth the realities of raising a child transracially, whether in a multicultural or a predominantly white community. Readers will learn how to help children adopted transracially or transnationally build a strong sense of identity, so that they will feel at home both in their new family and in their racial group or culture of origin. This second edition incorporates the latest research on positive racial identity and multicultural families, and reflects recent developments and trends in adoption.Drawing on research, decades of experience as adoption professionals, and their own personal experience of adopting transracially, Beth Hall and Gail Steinberg offer insights for all transracial adoptive parents - from prospective first-time adopters to experienced veterans - and those who support them.Trade ReviewThis is an excellent book that does not gloss over the very real issues of transracial adoption. The authors work hard to give white parents a real understanding of the very different perspective their children will be growing up with, and how vital it is that they acknowledge the struggles their children will face and become their educated allies in dealing with them... Throughout the book, the needs and best interests of the children are the priority. The authors give many examples to show the perspectives of children of transracial adoption and give parenting strategies that are healthy, positive and loving... I highly recommend "Inside Transracial Adoption" for all families who have adopted or are considering adopting transracially/culturally, as well as for adoption professionals and adoptees. -- Alicia Baker, Mankato Attachment Parenting, ExaminerAs experienced parents who adopted transracially, Beth and Gail have once again provided adoptive parents with information, examples and approaches that are both practical and useful. As respected professionals, they have created a resource and overview of topics that can be used by agencies in preparing parents for transracial/cultural adoptions. -- Joseph Crumbley, LCSWAdoption can have many complex layers, and with interracial adoption there are the added nuances of race, culture and identity. As a Korean adoptee I have lived this experience. As an adoption professional for thirty years, I have witnessed the transformation of priorities for transracially adoptive families. Parents must explore and understand these issues to successfully navigate the challenges and fully embrace the differences that families live with every day. Inside Transracial Adoption is the bible of resources on this subject, written by two experts it has been my pleasure to work with and learn from. This is the book I most often recommend to anyone considering adoption, adoptees and adoption professionals. There is wisdom for everyone who cares about transracial adoption and the children and adults who come together as transracial families. -- Susan Soonkeum Cox, Vice President Policy & External Affairs, Holt International Children's ServicesWhile largely aimed at an American audience, this book explains how to become an ally and advocate for your transracially adopted child/ren. The authors offer invaluable insight into parenting transracially through adoption. They never lose sight of the reality of racism and the need to help transracially adopted children to name, externalise, and depersonalise racism, as well as build links with their community of birth. Central is the idea that we must really listen to our children, validate their feelings and experiences, challenge racism, and equip them with the skills to do so. Inside Transracial Adoption contains a wealth of tips and guidance for adoptive parents and social workers whether in the USA, UK, or elsewhere. -- Dr. Perlita Harris, Goldsmiths, University of London, Editor of The Colours in Me: Writing and poetry by adopted children and young people and In Search of Belonging: Reflections by transracially adopted peopleTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. Section 1. Unpacking the Challenges of Transracial Adoption. 1. Our Perspectives on Transracial Adoption. Section 2. Racial Identity. 2. Racial Identity Development. 3. Confronting Racism and Our Own White Privilege. 4. Breaking the Racial Sound Barrier. 5. Seeking Diversity. 6. Handling Outsiders' Questions and Comments. Section 3. Family Matters. 7. Strengthening Family Identity. 8. Transracial Parenting Strategies. 9. Birth Family. 10. Extended Family. 11. Siblings In/By Adoption. 12. Religious Choices and Beliefs. Section 4. Through Development's Lens. 13. Infants. 14. Preschoolers. 15. School-agers. 16. Tween and Teens. 17. Our Children Are Our Children Forever - Even As Adults. Section 5. Specifics in Focus. 18. Building a Foundation. 19. Building Hope and Pride. 20. Cultural Specifics. 21. Adoption Specifics. Section 6. Parting Thoughts. 22. Embracing Our Strengths. Index.

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Book SynopsisDifficult behaviour in children with developmental trauma comes from a place of hurt. It is often confusing, unpredictable and painful both to the child and the people around them, and can be a form of self-protection or coping with deeply rooted fears and anxieties. Traumatized children rarely respond to traditional parenting strategies, but once you understand the impact of trauma on children you can master 'developmental reparenting' strategies which do work - by validating their feelings, boosting self-esteem and encouraging open and honest conversations. The first part of this book guides you using easy to understand language through the latest science and research relating to trauma and its impact on the brain and executive functioning. The second part forms the heart of the book, laying out 35 action charts to addresses some of the very hardest challenges for parents and carers - from inappropriate sexualised behaviour and overfamiliarity with strangers through to tantrums, food issues and deception.Written by an experienced adoptive parent who was also a qualified social worker with expertise in trauma-informed parenting, this book will be a welcome relief to any family struggling with the challenges of living with trauma in the home.Trade ReviewThe uniqueness and innovation in this resource is in the practical nature of connecting executive functioning difficulties - the 'why does my child do this?' - to the 'what can I do?' and 'what can I say?'. Packed full of ideas, suggestions and resources for strategies and interventions, all so clearly written by Christine, this guide is not to be missed! -- Edwina Grant, Chair of SAIAThis book will be of great help to adults who care for children with developmental trauma. Christine Gordon deftly helps to close the gap between understanding these children and knowing what to do to provide the consistently compassionate care they need to recover from the effects of early life trauma. -- Jonathan Baylin, PhD, coauthor with Daniel Hughes of The Neurobiology of Attachment-focused TherapyTable of ContentsPART ONE: Understanding the Behaviour and How to Help 1. Preface. 2. The Impact of Early Trauma. 3. How Neuro-biological Development Affects Behaviour. 4. Developmental Trauma and Attachment Difficulties - Secure Attachments. 5. Developmental Trauma and Attachment Difficulties - Insecure Attachments. 6. Introduction to Developmental Reparenting. 7. Main Principles and Concepts of Developmental Reparenting. 8. Developmental Trauma and Executive Functioning Difficulties. 9. The Behaviour Rating of Executive Functioning (BRIEF). 10. Executive Functioning - Inhibit. 11. EF - Shift. 12. EF - Emotional Control. 13. EF - Initiate. 14. EF - Working Memory. 15. EF - Plan/Organise. 16. EF - Organisation of Materials. 17. EF - Monitor. 18. Comments and Phrases that Support a Traumatized Child. 19. Praise and Reprimands, Consequences and Rewards. 20. Siblings. 21. Children who act out in Aggressive and Angry Behaviour. 22. Compliant 'Acting in' Children. 23. Pee and Poo or Choosing your Battles! 24. How to Use the Charts. 25. Charts. 26. Further Resources.PART TWO: Action Charts. 1. Accepting Blame/Responsibility. 2. Acting a Victim. 3. Aggression Towards Siblings. 4. Cheating at Games. 5. Completing Tasks. 6. Compliant and Helpful. 7. Consequences. 8. Dangerous Behaviour. 9. Disrupting Others. 10. Focussing on Tasks. 11. Food Issues. 12. Fiddling Constantly. 13. Homework Issues. 14. Hypochondriac Tendencies. 15. Intense Sibling Rivalry. 16. Losing Resources. 17. Lying. 18. Managing Group Settings. 19. Moving On. 20. Peer Problems. 21. Running Away. 22. School and Separation Issues. 23. Self-harming. 24. Sexualized Behaviour. 25. Shouting Out. 26. Stealing. 27. Stranger Familiarity. 28. Substitute Teacher/Carer. 29. Swearing. 30. Switching Off. 31. Talking Constantly. 32. Tantrums. 33. Starting Tasks. 34. Untidiness. 35. Working in Silence. 36. Blank Chart.

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Book SynopsisA practical guide to talking about adoption to a child adopted from overseas.

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Book SynopsisProviding an authoritative overview of the growing phenomena of child to parent violence - a feature in the daily life of increasing numbers of families - this book outlines what we know about it, what is effective in addressing it, and outlines a proven model for intervention. Based on non-violent resistance (NVR), the model is founded on a number of key elements: parental commitment to non-violence, de-escalation skills, increased parental presence, engaging the support network and acts of reconciliation. The book outlines the theory and principles, and provides pragmatic guidance for implementing these elements, accompanied by case studies to bring the theory to life.Trade ReviewAn excellent strengths-based practitioner guide to dealing with child-parent violence that is both theoretical coherent and easily applicable to practice. -- Dr John Sharry, Co-founder Parents Plus CharityThis book is based upon the author's extensive experience of practising and researching an area that is increasingly recognised as having very serious implications for families. Accessibly written, it provides a wealth of insights and guidance and should be required reading on all qualifying and post-qualifying courses in social work and related disciplines. -- Professor Brid Featherstone, Head of Department (Behavioural and Social Sciences), University of HuddersfieldI am delighted to recommend this book to the IASW readership and believe that it should be an essential book present in the offices of those in the helping professions, as well as being a core text within social work/allied healthcare programmes. * Irish Association of Social Workers Journal *Table of ContentsIntroduction; Part I: Theory and Good Practice; 1. Coming to terms with child to parent violence and abuse;2. What do we know about child to parent violence and abuse: where and why?; 3. Gender, domestic violence and child to parent violence and abuse; 4. Responses to child to parent violence and abuse; 5. Facilitating change: solution focused therapy and child to parent violence and abuse; 6. Messages from research about Non Violent Resistance; Part II: The Non Violent Resistance Model; 7. Introducing Non Violent Resistance;8. Implementing Non Violent Resistance - Foundations and Scaffolding;9. Non Violent Resistance in Action;10. Supporting practice, supporting families; References

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Book SynopsisHealing the Hidden Hurts: Transforming Attachment and Trauma Theory into Effective Practice with Families, Children and Adults provides a unique collection of professional and personal responses to the challenges that arise in dealing with attachment difficulties.With contributions from social workers, adoptive parents, adoptees, psychologists, therapists, counsellors and other related professionals, this book provides a varied and expansive approach to explaining attachment theory. The authors speak from personal experience to deliver explanations of theory, how they relate to practice and to provide practical guidance on how to improve the physical, emotional and psychological development of children in care across a broad range of professional settings. This book provides valuable insights relevant to practitioners within the fields of social work, health, education, the criminal justice system and any independent and voluntary sectors working with children and families.Trade ReviewIt is rare, indeed a privilege to read a book on attachment in which the rawness and immediacy of caring for and working with children...comes across so powerfully. The authors of each chapter speak directly of their own experience - as birth parents, adoptive parents, foster carers, teachers, therapists, social workers, children. Their honesty and candour, hurt and love burn through every page. Healing the Hidden Hurts gives us a rare glimpse of attachment in action and relationships in practice, through thick and thin. I hope that when you have read the following fourteen chapters, each one as brave as it is personal, you will feel as uplifted as I did when I first had the pleasure of reading this exceptional volume. -- From the foreword by David HoweThis is an exciting text which provides professionals with examples of attachment theory in practice. I like how you can dip into each chapter whilst there is still a running theme if you read from start to finish. This is a very realistic text which also remains academic and informative, using different disciplines to show how we can understand attachment behaviour, whilst still being very relevant to the social worker and the profession. The practical examples give the reader a real sense of how they could apply their learning from reading this to the children and families they are working with. This book touched me personally and I think that people will be able to relate to the examples in this book on both a personal and professional level. -- Nicola Hope, Team Coordinator, Children & Families Services, Staffordshire County CouncilHaven't we always known that relationships are at the heart of the human experience? But what happens when the primal attachment doesn't happen as it should? Before we are rational beings, we are sensual beings. Trauma happens at the sensual, emotional level and thus doesn't lend itself to reflection and rational responses. This book recognizes and addresses this in an easy to understand manner. This work is amazing in that, not only has it included the emotional, neurobiological, psychological, and social developmental wounds inherent in attachment deficits, but it has done an exceptional job of demonstrating this understanding in a variety of different scenarios. This makes the book a treasure for anyone who works with children: parents, teachers, physicians, psychologists, social workers, lawyers and the "adult children" themselves who want to understand their reactions to their own childhood experiences. There are so many exciting things to say about this book, it would take another book to list them all. I would just say that if I were to recommend any book on the subject of how attachment affects children as well as excellent suggestions for healing, this is the book. -- Nancy Verrier, MFT Author of The Primal Wound and Coming Home to SelfThe best way to understand the theory of trauma and attachment is through understanding the unique experience and challenges of each traumatized child along with the unique attachment relationship that is crucial for each of these children both to heal and develop trusting relationships with their caregivers. Caroline Archer, Charlotte Drury and Jude Hills have undertaken to help us to understand these theories which is crucial if we are to provide the best treatment and care for many foster and adopted children and their families. They have chosen to do so by providing us with a mosaic of children who have experienced a variety of traumas, as well as a great diversity of adults - of their carers and the professionals who are supporting them. In Healing the Hidden Hurts, the editors have chosen wisely many sensitive and reflective individuals who have the experience - and the skill to convey it - to assist us in our challenges to care for or provide services for, each traumatized child who we meet. -- Dan Hughes Ph.D. clinical psychologist and co-author of Creating Loving Attachments: Parenting with PACE to Nurture Confidence and Security in the Troubled ChildThis is a fantastic book providing informative theory and research leading to formulation and intervention across the child's world. The authors provide narrative accounts via case studies that explore the rich and complex backgrounds of children who have experienced maltreatment and they walk us through their developmental journey. The authors demonstrate practical, reflective attachment-based interventions that can be developed to hold the child in mind and help them understand themselves. They also provide useful ideas for education, social care and health care professionals supporting young people following chronic trauma, whose experience manifests through emotional and behavioural or mental health presentations. -- Jade Smith * ACAMH - The Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health *Table of ContentsForeword. David Howe, University of East Anglia. Introduction. Caroline Archer, independent consultant and therapeutic parent mentor, Charlotte Drury, Chair of Attachment Network Wales and Jude Hills. Part 1 Introductory Narrative: Hurt, Humour and Persistence. 1. 'Jolly Walking': How Social workers Can Support Poorly Attached Children and Their Caregivers Effectively . Victoria Drury, social worker. Part 2. Educational Narratives: Understanding, Nurturing and Transitions. 2. The Message Behind the Behaviour: Understanding Attachment in the Classroom. Emma Birch, PhD student, University of Edinburgh. 3. Nurturing the Educational Environment: Creating Safe Space for Children to Learn. Ann Cartwright, teacher and author. 4. 'No,no,no, Mummy. I Don't Want to go to Nursery!': Traumatic Transitions from Home to School. Marie Martin. Part 3. Therapeutic Narratives: Moving, Mentoring, Partnerships and Patience. 5. 'Not Again Little Owl': Transitions from Foster Care to Adoption . Viv Norris, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Certified Theraplay® Therapist and Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) Practitioner. 6. Developmental Trauma and Attachment: An Integrative Therapeutic Approach . Lisa Waycott, Clinical Director of Stepping Stones (Child Therapy Consultants) Ltd and Senior Lecturer, University of South Wales, Claire Carbiss, Play Therapist, Stepping Stones (Child Therapy Consultants) Ltd and Karen McInness, University of South Wales and Stepping Stones (Child Therapy Consultants) Ltd. 7. 'Smile Though Your Heart is Breaking': Therapeutic Parent Mentoring for 'Good Kids' and Their Families. Caroline Archer, independent consultant and therapeutic parent mentor. 8. Getting the Right FIT: The Team as a Secure Base for Supporting Families - Helen O'Shea, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and Elaine Simpson, Action for Children. 9. 'Slowly Undoing': A Case Study from a Residential Setting. Jonny Matthew, Youth Justice Board and Tricia Skuse, Wales Forensic Adolescent Consultation and Treatment (FACT). Part 4. Legal Narrative: Assessments and Court Reports. 10. Beyond Feeding and Watering: Trauma and Attachment-based Court Assessments. Christine Gordon, Family Futures Consortium. Part 5. Personal Narratives: Pain, Persistence and Growth. 11. Through Prison Walls: Strengthening Adult Attachments from the Outside In. Hannah Fryer. 12. Mending Hearts: The Lasting Effects of Early Surgical Trauma. Jane McNamara, counsellor, play therapist and writer. 13. Holding on and Letting Go: Bereavement and the Bonds of Attachment, An Adoptee's Perspective. Tamara Gordon, producer and director. Part 6. Closing Narrative: Expression and Exploration. 14. 'And If You Have No Words for It?': An Exploration of Attachment Issues Through Art Therapy . Helen Jury, Art Psychotherapist, Course Leader MA Art Psychotherapy, University South Wales. Index. Glossary. References.

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Book SynopsisThis book offers a thorough examination and discussion of the evidence on attachment, its influence on development, and attachment disorders.In Part One, the authors outline attachment theory, the influence of sensitive and insensitive caregiving and the applicability of attachment theory across cultures. Part Two presents the various instruments used to assess attachment and caregiving. Part Three outlines the influence of attachment security on the child's functioning. Part Four examines the poorly understood phenomenon of attachment disorder. Presenting the evidence of scientific research, the authors reveal how attachment disorders may be properly conceptualised. Referring to some of the wilder claims made about attachment disorder, they argue for a disciplined, scientific approach that is grounded in both attachment theory and the evidence base. The final part is an overview of evidence-based interventions designed to help individuals form secure attachments.Summarising the existing knowledge base in accessible language, this is a comprehensive reference book for professionals including social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, teachers, lawyers and researchers. Foster and adoptive parents, indeed all parents, and students will also find it of interest.Trade ReviewAttachment theory is currently a hot topic, so it is essential for all psychology enthusiasts and clinicians to have at least some understanding of its theories and applications. However, most texts are complicated to grasp, with intricate theories enmeshed from multiple directions. This book changes that. Here the authors provide an easily digestible introduction to attachment of theory; assessments of attachment and care giving; the impact of attachment security; attachment disorders and treatments. What was of particular interest to me was the chapter on the theories' validity across cultures - a very relevant aspect considering the growing multicultural society of the UK. It draws on the research evidence to unite the more conclusive findings on attachment. This guides the clinician and student toward an understanding of this enlightening approach to explaining, in part, why we are to a large degree a product of our environment. -- The PsychologistIn my opinion, this book will be valuable not only for mental health professionals but also useful for pediatricians and family physicians who want to update their knowledge in attachment and its disorders. -- The J Can Acad Child Adolesc PsychiatryIt should be a standard recommended text on clinical psychology programmes as well as other training programmes for health and social care staff working with families. -- Clinical Psychology ForumOverall, this is a useful and authoritative resource. It achieves a great deal, and will be a most useful purchase for libraries and for those directly concerned with these issues as they affect children and young people. -- British Journal of Social WorkPrior (behavioural and brain sciences, Institute of Child Health, London) and Glaser, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist at Great Ormond Street Hospital for children in London, discuss attachment disorders. They consider theory, the assessment of attachment patterns, and disturbances with an evidence-based approach. Topics of note include parenting, multiple caregivers, the applicability of theory across different cultures, functioning, and interventions and therapeutic approaches. The book is aimed at social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, teachers, lawyers and researchers. Both author and subject indexes are provided. All books in this series are based on the work of FOCUS, a multidisciplinary project at the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Research and Training Unit. -- Book NewsSummarising the existing knowledge base in accessible language, this is a comprehensive reference book for professionals including social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, teachers, lawyers and researchers. Foster and adoptive parents, in deed all parents, and students will also find it of interest. -- Handicap InfoThe FOCUS project of the Royal College of Psychiatrists to promote and disseminate information about evidence-based research and practice underpinning child and adolescent mental health services is driven by, and values good quality scientific endeavour and thinking. -- Young Minds MagazineThe work of John Bowlby's attachment theory continues to develop and grow with this new volume... The authors give a comprehensive insight into the latest research, assessment and significance of attachment theories cross- culturally. -- Community CareThis book is timely. The outline of attachment is clearly presented, the classification system follows well, and understanding how the attachments evolve and the factors involved is helpful. I particularly liked the section on different cultures and what has been explored across differing parenting styles and social groupings - its well worth reading. Anyone planning to undertake a research project or clinical study will find this book extremely helpful when trying to select the best available method. -- British Journal of PsychiatryThis is a text that is packed with research evidence and, therefore, will serve as a useful reference tool. The links to practice are clear, and practitioners will be enabled to work towards a more evidence-based approach in their work with children and their caregivers. -- Practice: Social Work in ActionUnderstanding Attachment and Attachment Disorders is a text applicable to large audiences, and proves a succinct traverse into the field of attachment disorders. -- EABP NewsletterWith the current emphasis on the education of children in public care, and multi-agency approaches to these children, this is a recommended text for the service bookshelf and for local authority educational psychologists with an interest in the area. It is also pertinent for independent educational psychologists involved in assessment of children in public and private Court cases. -- DebateTable of Contents1. Introduction. Part One: Attachment and Caregiving. 2. What is Attachment? 3. The Classifications of Attachment. 4. What are the Factors Influencing Attachment Organisation (and Disorganisation)? 5. Affectional Bonds and Attachment Figures. 6. Is Attachment Theory Valid across Cultures? Part Two: Assessments of Attachment and Caregiving. 7. Introduction. 8. Assessments of Attachment. 9. Assessments of Caregiving. Part Three: Correlates of Attachment Organisation with Functioning. 10. Which Domains of Functioning are Hypothesised to be Correlated with Attachment and What are the Possible Pathways of its Influence? 11. Evidence for Correlations between Attachment Security/Insecurity and the Child's Functioning. Part Four: What is Attachment Disorder? 12. Two Versions of Attachment Disorder. 13. Research on Attachment Disorder. 14. The Nature of Attachment Disorder. Part Five: Attachment Theory-based Interventions (and Some that are Not). 15. Introduction. 16. Evidence-based Interventions: Enhancing Caregiver Sensitivity. 17. Evidence-based Interventions: Change of Caregiver. 18. Interventions with No Evidence Base. 19. Conclusions Regarding Interventions. References. Index. About FOCUS.Child and Adolescent Mental Health SeriesWritten for professionals, and parents, these accessible, evidence-based resources are essential reading for anyone seeking to understand and promote children and young people's mental health. Drawing on the work of FOCUS, a multidisciplinary project based at the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Research and Training Unit, each title in the series brings together practical and policy-level suggestions with up-to-the minute analysis of research.

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Book SynopsisAdopted at birth, Andrea Ross grew up inhabiting two ecosystems: one was her tangible, adoptive family, the other her birth family, whose mysterious landscape was hidden from her. In this coming-of-age memoir, Ross narrates how in her early twenties, while working as a ranger in Grand Canyon National Park, she embarked on a journey to discover where she came from and, ultimately, who she was. After many missteps and dead ends, Ross uncovered her heartbreaking and inspiring origin story and began navigating the complicated turns of reuniting with her birth parents and their new families. Through backcountry travel in the American West, she also came to understand her place in the world, realizing that her true identity lay not in a choice between adopted or biological parents, but in an expansion of the concept of family.Trade Review"Andrea Ross’s soul-stirring memoir takes readers on her quest to find her birth parents. . . . Ross writes with the keen observation of a naturalist, the wisdom of an outdoor guide, and the purity of a poet, blending the raw beauty and sacredness of nature with the prevailing human spirit. Unnatural Selection will remind you of the times you were lost and searching and the peace of finding something greater than you expected." -- Daina Olseen Collins * Diamonds and Rocks *"With clarity, grace, and humor, Andrea Ross guides us through the terrain of her life. She is not new to guiding newcomers through the wilderness, and she does so expertly with engaging anecdotes of her life in the canyons and mountains of California, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and along the icy road to Alaska. She weaves these with the poignant and powerful story of finding her birth parents, one that left me in tears. Read this for the stories of wild places and wild people and, in the end, the moving story of family." * David Gessner *“Ross has written a fascinating book, the subtitle of which is A Memoir of Adoption and Wilderness.. It is a wonderfully told adventure of guiding others into the natural wonders of climbing mountains, descending into canyons, crossing deserts, and fording rivers. At the same time it is the weaving together the wilderness of adoption with its traumatic loss of the first mother, living with genetic strangers, the roadblocks in the way of being able to connect with biological relatives, and finally finding her birth parents and her roots. It is a journey of discovering the meaning of family, our relationship with all humanity, and with Mother Earth. Beautifully written. A must-read!” * Nancy Verrier, author of 'The Primal Wound' and 'Coming Home to Self' *Table of ContentsPart OneChapter 1: EarthquakeChapter 2: InflamedChapter 3: Non-IdentifiedChapter 4: SlappedChapter 5: "Lady Ranger" at the CanyonPart TwoChapter 6: Ruins and LaddersChapter 7: Crumbling StepsChapter 8: Double VisionChapter 9: White Courtesy TelephoneChapter 10: Dancing in QuicksandChapter 11: Participate in Your Own RescueChapter 12: Empty ShoesChapter 13: Post-holingChapter 14: Facts and ArtifactsChapter 15: IntermediaryPart ThreeChapter 16: First WordsChapter 17: The Navel of the WorldChapter 18: The Here and NowChapter 19: Half SisterChapter 20: Effects of the EdgeChapter 21: Front Range

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Book SynopsisMusic therapy is a valuable method of support and treatment for those dealing with trauma within the adoption community. Music Therapy in Adoption and Trauma offers a timely and much-needed perspective for music and creative arts therapists, as well as families themselves.Addressing topics such as contemporary adoption processes, potential resulting trauma, attachment and adoption breakdown, the book looks at why music therapy specifically can help. Throughout, it centres the value of lived experience in increasing understanding of trauma and effective support. Following a decade of dramatic change within the adoption practice, this book is an invaluable resource for those looking to support individuals and families impacted by adoption.Trade ReviewThe importance of this book cannot be overstated. Joy Gravestock has produced a seminal text in an area which is now widely recognised as one of the most important in contemporary health and social care. The text will prove invaluable to those involved in all areas of the adoption process, including music therapists, social workers, agencies, counsellors and adoptees and their families. -- Dr Elizabeth Coombes, Course Leader for MA Music Therapy at the University of South WalesThe book I would turn to when contemplating work with anyone affected by adoption. Accessible writing belies the complexity of knowledge and reflexive understanding integrated here. Vignettes illuminate the text like coloured glass, culminating in a profoundly moving case study. -- Dr Cathy Warner, music therapist and programme leader, University of the West of England, Bristol

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Book SynopsisAdoption is a big step which can change the whole dynamics of the family. It is crucial that parents understand the impact it has when new sibling relationships are forged and an adoptee becomes a part of the family. Welcoming a New Brother or Sister through Adoption is a comprehensive yet accessible guide that describes the adoption process and the impact of adoption on every member of the family, including the adopted child. It prepares families to have realistic expectations and equips them with knowledge to deal with a host of situations that may arise, addressing difficult questions head-on: 'Did we make the right choice by adopting?', 'How is this affecting our 'typical' children?', 'Will our adopted son or daughter heal?' are explored and solutions discussed in detail. All this is accompanied with real life stories and direct quotes from children, which make it a realistic and insightful resource.This book is vital reading for adoptive families and professionals who work with them including social workers, counselors and psychologists.Trade ReviewJames has produced an extremely practical, theoretically based book which will have many parents laughing and sometimes, crying...Whether you are interested in pre-placement issues, post-placement concerns, disruption/dissolution, sexual acting out, blending siblings, or marital stress, Welcoming a New Brother or Sister Through Adoption will have something to offer you...I believe that every adoptive family will be better able to deal with difficulties that their children and family may be experiencing. Adoption agencies should consider making this book mandatory reading as a component of their pre-placement training program, and anyone who works with adoptive families will appreciate the deep insight that Arleta James has shared with us. -- Extracted from the foreword by Gregory C. KeckThis book is written by an adoption professional... The book mainly focuses on integrating traumatised children into families that typically have children already, whether birth, adopted or step. The book covers all aspects of the needs of traumatised children and their behaviour, as well as lots of parenting advice and help. I especially liked the case studies... I found it incredibly informative. -- Side by SideTable of ContentsIntroduction. 1. "I'm Getting a Brother or Sister!": Kids Develop Expectations Pre-Adoption. 2. "My New Brother or Sister Experienced Trauma: What Does that Mean?". 3. Pre-Adoption Preparation: "Yes, We Brothers and Sisters Need Information". 4. "I Am a 'Quality' Parent!": Reviewing and Refining Your Parenting Strengths. 5. Finally! My New Brother or Sister is Arriving!. 6. "After He Came, Everything Changed!": Post-Placement Common Challenges. 7. "My Brother or Sister Won't be Living with Us Any More": Disruption, Dissolution, Displacement and Other Leavings. 8. "Help Me Cope, Please": Striking a Balance Post-Adoption. 9. Triggers, Losses and Feelings: Facilitating Your Son's and Daughter's Grief. 10. "You Know Your Birthmother and I Don't": Blending Children with Diverse Birth Histories - an Emerging Common Challenge. 11. "My New Sibling's Behaviors Are So Bizarre!" Learning to Be a Peaceful Family Again. 12. Two of the Toughest Behaviors - Sexual-Acting Out and Aggression: Ensuring a Safe, Secure Home Environment. 13. "We Hardly have Family Game Night Anymore": Restoring Family Fun. 15. "Yes, I Have Experienced Positives!" Brothers, Sisters and Adoptees Speak about the Benefits of Adoption. Appendices. References. Index.

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Book SynopsisThe extraordinary true story that inspired an acclaimed film starring Steve Coogan and Judi Dench, Philomena, by Martin Sixsmith, is a gripping tale of heartache, hypocrisy and ultimately, redemption. It follows the lives of Philomena Lee, who, after falling pregnant in 1952, was treated as a fallen woman by Irish Catholic society, and her son, torn from her by the Church and swept across the Atlantic as one among many forced adoptions.Philomena, shamed and coerced into signing a document promising never to attempt to see her son again, wages a secret, decades-long battle to reconnect with her lost, beloved son. Unbeknownst to her, her son has been renamed Michael Hess, and grew up to become a high-powered lawyer in the homophobic climate of the Reagan and Bush administrations. But he was a gay man in a homophobic party where he had to conceal not only his sexuality but, eventually, the fact that he had AIDS. With little time left, he returned to Irelan

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Book SynopsisFor anyone considering or going through Fostering for Adoption, this book gives you a detailed, personal account of the process which takes you through all the stages and prepares you to cope with the highs and lows. Fostering for Adoption is a relatively recent initiative (Children and Families Act, 2014) in the adoption legal landscape, seeking early permanence for babies and young children where adoption is most likely to be the plan for the child. This is often cited as a route to be in the best interests of the child, enabling secure attachments and stability. However, for adopters it is inherently risky, it is the adopters who take on the risk in this situation, accept the placement on a fostering basis and hope that the final outcome will be adoption. There is currently a knowledge gap on experiences of Fostering for Adoption which this book tackles. Written from an adopters’ perspective of the risks and challenges, as well as the benefits that it brings, it is perfect for those who are considering the process as well as their friends and family. A book on Fostering for Adoption can’t just focus on one story and one outcome so we’ve included case studies which cover the key experiences adopters may face when agreeing to accept a baby on a Foster to Adopt placement such as: Caring for a baby a few days after birth The paperwork, rules and fostering process The uncertainty and risk Meeting with birth parents Contact Looking after a withdrawing baby A termination of placement Written in an engaging and friendly style, this book is perfect reading for anyone looking to adopt a child and for adoption professionals seeking to understand the experience of the adopter more profoundly. Praise for Fostering for Adoption "As someone who has been through a similar journey this book resonated with me. It is honest about the ups and downs and is a great, informative book for anybody thinking of taking this route or who have family or friends that are. I can say that this book will help anyone at the beginning of their journey, to help them through the process and – start the lifetime of learning about how we can support our children." Lisa Faulkner, Author, Meant to be "Alice’s book will be a great companion to anyone considering or starting on the foster to adopt process. It is well-researched and written and doesn’t shy away from the many complexities and the considerations that adults must make in the best interests of children." Sally Donovan, Author of No Matter What, and Editor of Adoption Today "I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, I found myself laughing and getting emotional throughout. As someone who has themselves been adopted, but who is also a social worker who has now adopted a child, this book is brilliant from every angle. A must read for anyone considering Fostering for Adoption." Jo, Social Worker, Midlands “This book gives a balanced and honest view of the whole Fostering for Adoption journey. It gets to the emotions and seriousness of decisions being made about children's lives. This is an important read for any potential adopter and will be on our book lists for sure” Angi, Social Worker, Adoption Tees Valley Trade Review"As someone who has been through a similar journey this book resonated with me. It is honest about the ups and downs and is a great, informative book for anybody thinking of taking this route or who have family or friends that are. I can say that this book will help anyone at the beginning of their journey, to help them through the process and – start the lifetime of learning about how we can support our children." -- Lisa Faulkner * Author of Meant to be *"Alice’s book will be a great companion to anyone considering or starting on the foster to adopt process. It is well-researched and written and doesn’t shy away from the many complexities and the considerations that adults must make in the best interests of children." -- Sally Donovan * Author of No Matter What, and Editor of Adoption Today *"I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, I found myself laughing and getting emotional throughout. As someone who has themselves been adopted, but who is also a social worker who has now adopted a child, this book is brilliant from every angle. A must read for anyone considering Fostering for Adoption." -- Jo * Social Worker, Midlands, UK *"This book gives a balanced and honest view of the whole Fostering for Adoption journey. It gets to the emotions and seriousness of decisions being made about children's lives. This is an important read for any potential adopter and will be on our book lists for sure." -- Angi * Social Worker, Adoption Tees Valley *Table of ContentsCh 1: Introduction and background to Foster to Adopt Ch 2: Where our story begins: The first training session and Stage 1 Ch 3: Expressing our story: Stage 2, the home assessment and panel Ch 4: Who will join our story? Matching, tracking and the emotional rollercoaster Ch 5: The story continues: Being matched and more waiting Ch 6: Our story gets real: Transition and placement Ch 7: Documenting the detail of our story: The early days of and everyday life of F2A Ch 8: Retelling our story as a family of three: Preparing for panel Ch 9: Formalising our story: Applying for the Adoption Order and everyday life-in-between Ch 10: Our story can continue: Legally part of our family

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Book SynopsisHolly Marie was forty-two years old the day she found out she was missing.At ten months old, Holly Marie was brought to the door of a church by three barefoot women in white robes and head coverings. Adopted by the pastor and raised in a loving Christian home, Holly nevertheless struggled with the ache of not knowing what had happened to her biological parents. She still felt their absence even as she married and started a family of her own. When two detectives showed up at the restaurant where she worked and informed her that she had a large family in Florida who had been searching for her for over 40 years, Holly's past became the reality of her present, and she began the sometimes painful journey of discovering the truth about her origins: Her parents had been brutally murdered, their case still unsolved.With the help of law enforcement across four states, forensic genealogists, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and her newly discovered family members, the missing pieces began to come together. Except these-why had her parents been murdered? And who had murdered them? She soon found out that the truth leads not always to answers but sometimes to more questions, that it also brings healing and restoration, and that we must surrender our unknowns to God until, in His perfect timing, all truths are revealed.Finding Baby Holly is the true, inspiring story of a wife and mother who was "missing" for over forty years after her parents' murders, the persistent detectives who never stopped investigating, and the birth family who never lost hope in finding her.

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Book SynopsisEmpty Hands is the inspiring memoir of Zulu nurse and healthcare activist Sister Abegail Ntleko. Growing up poor in a rural village with a father who didn''t believe in educating girls, against seemingly insurmountable odds Sister Abegail earned her nursing degree and began work as a community nurse and educator, dedicating her life to those in need. "Her story tells us," says Desmond Tutu, who wrote the foreword to the book, "what a single person can accomplish when heart and mind work together in the service of others."Overcoming poverty and racism within the apartheid South African system, she adopted her first child at a time when it was unheard of to do so. And then she did it again and again. In forty years she has taken in and cared for hundreds of children who had nothing, saving babies—many of them orphans whose parents died of AIDS—from hospitals that were ready to give up on them and let them die. Empty Hands describes the harshness of Ntleko''s circumstances with wit and wisdom in direct, beautifully understated prose and will appeal not only to activists and aid workers, but to anyone who believes in the power of the human spirit to rise above suffering and find peace, joy, and purpose."Ntleko''s story, which she tells in simple language, is inspiring and moving. She neither dwells in nor dramatizes the hardships she has faced, preferring instead to focus on ''fill[ing] her hands with love and then spend[ing] all that love until [her] hands are empty again.'' A brief, genuine, heartfelt memoir of an awe-inspiring life."—Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisApproximately 662,000 children spend some time in foster care each year. Most enter care because they have experienced neglect or abuse by their parents. Between 35% and 60% of children entering foster care have at least one chronic or acute physical health condition that needs treatment. As many as one-half to three-fourths show behavioural or social competency problems that may warrant mental health services and substance abuse counselling. As many as 24,000 (about 6%) receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or other Social Security benefits. Some research suggests that a greater number of children in foster care might be eligible for SSI benefits if this assistance was sought. This book examines the health care needs and social security benefit issues facing children in the foster care system with a focus on medicaid benefits; private health insurance reforms; and possible legislative changes.

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Book SynopsisUnder the Adoption Incentives program, (Section 473A of the Social Security Act) states earn federal bonuses when they increase adoptions of children who are in need of new permanent families. Funding authorised for this program has been extended twice since it was established, most recently in 2008. This book discusses background related to the Adoption Incentives program, including the longstanding Congressional interest in domestic adoption and the significant increases in adoptions from foster care that have occurred since the middle 1990s. It also discusses the current program, including the incentive structure.

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Book SynopsisGary Diamond, an American-trained developmental paediatrician, has along with professional colleagues over the past 15 years counselled and travelled to orphanages around the world in the service of adoptive parents, interested in evaluating the child pre-adoption in his/her native setting, often being in foster care or orphanages in a variety of countries in Eastern Europe and Central America. The book is a collection of 25 true accounts of adoption, post adoption and adolescent and adult experiences with adoption, and presents a unique chronicle of the life cycle of the adoptive family and the adopted individual, with the added dimension of actual accounts of orphanage life. The book, and the stories within, are a chronicle of an individual''s search for identity, which is a universal theme. The book originates in Israel, where adoptive families actually send physicians, trained in child development, to countries to examine children offered for adoption, enabling adoption professionals to acquire long-standing and intimate insights, into the process of adoption, from its very early stages, when institutionalised children are first exposed to visiting professionals and prospective adoptive parents.

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Book SynopsisApproximately 400,000 children were living in foster care in fiscal year 2012, according to the most recent data available. The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 is an omnibus child welfare bill designed to ensure greater permanence and improve the well-being of children served by public child welfare agencies. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) oversees states'' implementation of federal child welfare requirements. This book examines steps states have taken to implement selected provisions of the act and challenges they have faced, and the extent to which HHS has monitored states'' efforts.

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Book SynopsisWhile most young people have access to emotional and financial support systems throughout their early adult years, older youth in foster care and those who are emancipated from care often face obstacles to developing independent living skills and building supports that ease the transition to adulthood. Older foster youth who return to their parents or guardians may continue to experience poor family dynamics or a lack of emotional and financial supports, and studies have shown that recently emancipated foster youth fare poorly relative to their counterparts in the general population on several outcome measures. The federal government recognises that older youth in foster care and those aging out are vulnerable to negative outcomes and may ultimately return to the care of the state as adults, either through the public welfare, criminal justice, or other systems. This book provides background on young people in and exiting from foster care, and the federal support that is available to these youth as they transition to adulthood.

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Book SynopsisEach year, approximately 25,000 youth exit the foster care system before being reunified with their family of origin, being adopted, or achieving another permanent living arrangement. These youth often have limited resources with which to secure safe and stable housing, which leaves them at heightened risk of experiencing homelessness. This book documents a series of research activities designed to address knowledge gaps related to the housing options available to youth who have aged out of foster care. Furthermore, this book describes the extent to which -- and how -- communities are using Family Unification Program (FUP) to support youth; reviews the characteristics of the young people, their risk of homelessness, and the barriers they face in securing stable housing, along with relevant federal and, to a lesser extent, state policies; and describes a wide range of housing programs for young people aging out of foster care, present a program typology, and conclude with the identification of a small group of innovative housing programs that may warrant closer exploration.

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