- Home
- » Conference Calendar
- » Conference Exhibits
- » North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC)
North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC)
The following Information Gateway materials were made available at the North American Council on Adoptable Children Conference held August 4 to 6, 2011, in Denver, CO.
Adoption: Where Do I Start? | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 1,556KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2010 - 8 pages |
This factsheet is an introduction to the many paths to building your family through adoption. It will give you an understanding of the basics in any adoption process and guide you to resources at each step. |
Adoption USA: A Chartbook Based on the 2007 National Survey of Adoptive Parents | |
Author(s): | U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Vandivere, Malm, Radel |
Availability: | View Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2009 - 91 pages |
The National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) is a nationally representative survey of U.S. children under age 18. In each sampled household, one child under age 18 was randomly selected. A parent or guardian knowledgeable about the child's health answered questions by telephone regarding the child's and the family's health and well-being and provided information about demographic characteristics. The 2007 NSCH includes information on 91,642 focal children, representing 73.8 million children throughout the United States. |
Adoption Assistance for Children Adopted From Foster Care | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 369KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2011 - 5 pages |
In every State there are children with special needs waiting in foster care for adoptive families. The most recent data estimate that 126,000 children are available to be adopted from foster care. In the past, the costs of care and services were major obstacles to parents who would otherwise adopt and love these children, and most were not placed for adoption. The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 provided the first Federal subsidies to encourage the adoption of children from the nation's foster care system. These subsidies, known as adoption assistance, serve to minimize the financial obstacles to ... |
Adoption Disruption and Dissolution | |
Series Title: | Numbers and Trends |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 437KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2012 - 11 pages |
This factsheet reports statistics about adoption disruption (before finalization of the placement) and dissolution (after legal finalization). Differences in disruption rates by age of the child and placement history, reasons why disruption and dissolution occur, and disruption and dissolution trends are noted. |
The Basics of Adoption Practice | |
Series Title: | Bulletins for Professionals |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 307KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2006 - 13 pages |
Adoption is a highly specialized field that focuses on placing children with families and providing services to ensure that these placements are permanent. In recent decades, the emphasis of adoption practice has shifted from helping families find children to finding safe and permanent families for children. Adoption workers are now expected to have extensive knowledge and understanding of the recruitment and assessment of adoptive families, the placement of children with a variety of strengths and needs, and supportive postadoption services to promote attachment and permanency for children. This bulletin provides an overview of the basics of adoption practice and the ... |
Costs of Adopting | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 306KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2011 - 8 pages |
This factsheet provides cost estimates for domestic and intercountry adoptions. Agency fees, legal fees, home study expenses, and foreign country expenses are considered. The factsheet also includes information about adoption benefits, such as Federal tax credits, state tax credits, subsidies, and adoption loans and grants. A brief list of additional resources is provided. |
Employer-Provided Adoption Benefits | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 272KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2011 - 4 pages |
This fact sheet explains the types of employee and tax benefits that are available to adoptive parents, from financial assistance and parental leave to tax credits for adoption expenses. Eligibility for such benefits is briefly discussed, and resources about employers offering adoption benefits are provided. |
Foster Parents Considering Adoption | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 512KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2012 - 9 pages |
Summarizes what foster parents should consider while deciding whether to adopt their foster child or youth. This factsheet does not address the specifics of how to adopt; it provides information on the differences between foster care and adoption, advantages of foster parent adoption, strategies for foster/adoptive families, and useful references. |
Frequently Asked Questions From Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Prospective Foster and Adoptive Parents | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 281KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2011 - 5 pages |
This factsheet answers questions that many prospective lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) parents ask. |
Helping Your Foster Child Transition to Your Adopted Child | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 255KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2012 - 12 pages |
Summarizes how foster/adoptive parents can help their child make the emotional adjustment to being an adopted child. Children and youth may not clearly comprehend the difference between being a foster child versus being an adopted child in the same family. This factsheet provides suggestions for talking with children about the changes from foster care to adoption, helping them understand their own histories and losses, helping them cope with trauma and transfer attachments, and useful resources. |
How the Child Welfare System Works | |
Series Title: | Factsheets |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 565KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2012 - 9 pages |
Provides an overview of the purposes and functions of child welfare systems. It explains what happens when abuse or neglect are reported, how those reports are processed, and what happens to the adults and children who are involved in the child welfare system. A flowchart illustrates how cases may move through the child welfare system. |
Impact of Adoption on Adopted Persons | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 248KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2004 - 8 pages |
As discussion of the adoption process becomes more open and accepted in American society, and as more Americans have experience with adoption, there is also more attention focused on those involved in adoption -- the adopted person, the birth parents, and the adoptive parents (often referred to as the adoption triad or, more recently, the adoption constellation). People who have experienced adoption firsthand are coming forward to talk or write about their experiences, and researchers are conducting scientific studies to find out about the impact of adoption on all members of the adoption triad. This factsheet examines the impact of ... |
Impact of Adoption on Adoptive Parents | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway. |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 401KB) |
Year Published: | 2010 - 14 pages |
This factsheet explores some of the emotional ups and downs that adoptive parents may experience as they approach the decision to adopt, during the adoptive process, and after the adoption. It explores some stresses that adoptive parents may experience, including depression, issues related to identity and attachment, and issues related to the child's adjustment, such as contact with the birth family. Useful resources and suggestions for finding help are included. |
Impact of Adoption on Birth Parents | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 249KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2004 - 9 pages |
This factsheet discusses some of the emotional issues that parents face after making the decision to place an infant for adoption, in surrendering the child, and in handling the feelings that often persist afterwards. In addition, it addresses some of the emotional issues of parents whose children are permanently removed from them and whose parental rights are terminated. This factsheet may be a helpful resource for birth parents, as well as family members, friends, and others who want to support birth parents. It may also provide some insight to adopted persons and adoptive parents who want to understand the struggles ... |
Kinship Caregivers and the Child Welfare System | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 335KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2010 - 15 pages |
Informal and formal kinship care arrangements help to ensure stability and protection for children within their extended family. This fact sheet describes the benefits of kinship care as a child protection alternative and examines the agency's responsibility for the placement. The placement decision-making process, what to expect from the child welfare service and court system, and financial support, available services, and permanency planning are discussed. Questions for new kin caregivers to ask and a list of additional references are provided. |
Military Families Considering Adoption | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 296KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2010 - 6 pages |
Common questions about adoption of children by military personnel and their families are addressed in this factsheet. Topics include: resources for information about state laws, what to expect during the home study and the impact of deployment on the process, leave time, and cost. Postadoption services and medical benefits for adopted children also are discussed. |
Obtaining Background Information on Your Prospective Adopted Child | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 248KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2003 - 6 pages |
This fact sheet explains why it is important to obtain background information about a prospective child. It discusses where a family might find background information, what questions to ask about the child's medical, family, social, and placement history, and why information may not be available. It includes a list of resources for more information. |
Openness in Adoption | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 259KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2003 - 6 pages |
This factsheet describes the benefits of postadoption contact with birth parents and reviews considerations for determining the degree of openness that is most appropriate for the child. It suggests that adoptive parents consult Internet websites, books, counselors, and other parents when making decisions about open adoption. The factsheet includes a chart of the advantages and disadvantages of confidential adoptions, mediated adoptions, and open adoptions. |
Openness in Adoption | |
Series Title: | Bulletins for Professionals |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 304KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2003 - 10 pages |
This fact sheet defines open adoption, including information about the laws regarding open adoption and research findings about the effects of open adoption on the adoption triad. It discusses implications for agency policy around adoption openness, foster care adoptions, and when open adoption may not be in the child's best interest. It includes a list of useful web sites, books and articles for both families and professionals, and the pros and cons of each type of adoption (confidential, mediated, and open). |
Parenting a Child Who Has Been Sexually Abused: A Guide for Foster and Adoptive Parents | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 240KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2008 - 10 pages |
Many factors affect how children react to and recover from sexual abuse. Parents play an important role in their children?s recovery. This factsheet includes information to help foster and adoptive parents of children who have been sexually abused. It includes information about child sexual abuse, tips for establishing guidelines for safety and privacy in the family, and guidance on when and how to seek help, if needed. |
Persons Seeking to Adopt | |
Series Title: | Numbers and Trends |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 153KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2011 - 6 pages |
Most Americans favor adoption, and many have at some point considered adoption. However, relatively few have taken concrete steps toward adopting a child, and fewer still have actually adopted a child. This factsheet examines some of the more recent statistics and trends regarding American adults who seek to adopt an infant or child. |
Postadoption Services | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 285KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2006 - 10 pages |
It is common for adoptive families to need support and services after adoption. Postadoption services can help families with a wide range of issues. They are available for everything from learning how to explain adoption to a preschooler, to helping a child who experienced early childhood abuse, to helping with an adopted teen?s search for identity. Experience with adoptive families has shown that all family members can benefit from some type of postadoption support. Families of children who have experienced trauma, neglect, or institutionalization may require more intensive services. |
Postadoption Services | |
Series Title: | Bulletins for Professionals |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 266KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2005 - 14 pages |
All adopted children and their families can potentially benefit from services provided after the adoption is finalized. These services may include educational and informational services, clinical services, material services, and/or support services. This bulletin addresses: who benefits from postadoption services, how can postadoption services help, what postadoptive services do families need, what postadoptive services do States offer, how are postadoption services delivered, how are postadoption services funded, why evaluate postadoption services, what are the implications for practice, and what future research is needed This bulletin specifically focuses on the benefits for adopted people and adoptive parents. Includes resources. |
Post-Legal Adoption Services For Children with Special Needs and Their Families : Challenges and Lessons Learned | |
Series Title: | Grantee Lessons Learned |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 318KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2005 - 15 pages |
With the goal of expanding and enhancing services to adoptive families of children with special needs, post-legal adoption services have been established in annual adoption discretionary grant announcements. Under that priority area in 1998, 15 3-year grants were awarded to increase permanency and well-being for children with special needs by preventing adoption disruption, dissolution, or out-of-home placement. This briefing paper synthesizes the final reports of those 15 projects. The projects targeted post-legal adoptive families and their children with special needs, pre-adoptive families, single adoptive parents, transracial adoptive families, kinship families. Core services included parent support and educational groups, children s ... |
Providing Background Information to Adoptive Parents | |
Series Title: | Bulletins for Professionals |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 278KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2003 - 8 pages |
This bulletin explains the importance of providing background information about a child to prospective adoptive parents so that they can be prepared to address the child's emotional, health, and behavioral needs. The briefing describes the liability of agencies in cases of wrongful adoption and identifies the types of information that families should receive. Issues regarding sensitive information and right to privacy also are discussed. |
Respite Care Services for Families Who Adopt Children with Special Needs: Synthesis of Demonstration Program Final Reports | |
Series Title: | Grantee Lessons Learned |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 242KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2002 - 10 pages |
This report synthesizes information from the final program and evaluation reports of 8 Adoption Opportunities discretionary grants programs written between 1994 and 1999. It summarizes project descriptions, lessons learned, accomplishments, and recommendations. An appendix includes project information for each of the 8 projects, including contact information, area served, target population, and evaluation activities. |
Searching for Birth Relatives | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 445KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2011 - 18 pages |
Provides guidance to adopted persons and birth families on the search process and information access, as well as resources for further help in conducting a successful search. This factsheet is designed to address the concerns of both adopted persons who are searching for birth parents or other birth relatives, as well as birth parents (both mothers and fathers) who want to locate a child who was adopted. While not a complete "how to" guide to searching, this factsheet provides information on the decision to search, steps in the search process, hiring a professional searcher, international searching, using social media to ... |
Selecting and Working With a Therapist Skilled in Adoption | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 251KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2012 - 13 pages |
Provides members of adoptive families with information on the varieties of therapeutic approaches and professional therapists, recommendations for choosing and working with a therapist, and online resources for postadoption support and national organizations. |
Sibling Issues in Foster Care and Adoption | |
Series Title: | Bulletins for Professionals |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 356KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2006 - 15 pages |
This bulletin explores research, intervention strategies, and resources to assist professionals in preserving connections among siblings placed in foster care. The importance and benefits of placing siblings together is discussed, and strategies are offered for addressing the barriers that often keep siblings apart. Ways to maintain sibling connections among siblings living in different homes are also described. A final section provides articles, curricula, sample State policies, and more resources to help professionals. |
"Special Needs" Adoption: What Does It Mean? | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 281KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2010 - 6 pages |
This factsheet presents some common questions about adopting a child or youth with special needs and provides resources that will give you detailed answers. |
Strengthening Families and Communities: 2011 Resource Guide. | |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway, Children's Bureau, FRIENDS National Resource Center For Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention, Center for the Study of Social Policy-Strengthening Families |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 2,632KB) |
Year Published: | 2011 - 94 pages |
This Resource Guide was written to support service providers in their work with parents, caregivers, and their children to strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect. The guide includes information about protective factors that help reduce the risk of child maltreatment, strategies for changing how communities support families, and evidence-informed practices. It also offers suggestions for enhancing protective factors in families, tools to build awareness and develop community partnerships, information about child abuse and neglect, a directory of national organizations that work to strengthen families, and tip sheets in English and Spanish on specific parenting topics. |
Substance Abuse Specialists in Child Welfare Agencies and Dependency Courts: Considerations for Program Designers and Evaluators. | |
Author(s): | National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare., United States. Children's Bureau., United States. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Young |
Availability: | Download (PDF - 1,516KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2010 - 58 pages |
This paper focuses on the placing of substance abuse specialists in either child welfare offices or dependency courts. The purpose of co-locating substance abuse specialists is to ensure that parents are assessed as quickly as possible, to improve parent engagement and retention in treatment, to streamline entry into treatment, and to provide consultation to child welfare and dependency court workers. In addition to briefly describing substance abuse specialist programs and their various components, this paper includes findings from eight qualitative interviews of programs that place substance abuse specialists in child welfare offices or dependency courts. The interviews highlight ways in ... |
Working With Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Families in Adoption | |
Series Title: | Bulletins for Professionals |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 315KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2011 - 14 pages |
This bulletin is designed to help child welfare and adoption professionals expand their cultural competence and build their skills for working effectively and fairly with LGBT families as prospective adoptive parents. It examines issues, laws, and policies on LGBT families in adoption. |
Working With Military Families as They Pursue Adoption | |
Series Title: | Bulletins for Professionals |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 276KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2010 - 7 pages |
This bulletin explains the benefits of using military families as adoptive resources for children. It discusses the challenges in working with military families, ways these challenges have been overcome, and provides a list of resources and organizations that support families in their adoption pursuits. |