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Discusses laws that provide for access to both nonidentifying and identifying information from an adoption record by adoptive parents and adult adoptees. Generally, the person whose information will be disclosed must consent to the disclosure, and methods of providing consent are discussed. Access to the original birth certificate by the adult adoptee also is addressed.

Describes issues that adoptive children, youth, and families may encounter after adoption and the postadoption services available to help them manage their issues. Topics discussed include postadoption issues that adoptive families often encounter, the changing needs for support at different ages and developmental stages, types of postadoption services, finding postadoption services, paying for postadoption services, and advocating for postadoption services. A list of additional resources is also offered.

Proporciona información y orientación para explorar opciones de crianza y adopción y sobre cómo hacer un plan de adopción. Apunta a recursos que pueden ayudar a personas que contemplan la adopción a elegir la mejor opción para ellos y sus hijos. Otras personas que se ven afectadas por las decisiones de adopción, como los familiares, también pueden usar esta hoja informativa para explorar preguntas importantes. Provides information and guidance for exploring parenting and adoption options and about making an adoption plan. It points to resources that may help those contemplating adoption come to a choice that feels best for them and their child. Others who are affected by adoption decisions, such as relatives, also may find this factsheet useful for answering some of their important questions.

The United States Census 2000 included "adopted son/daughter" as a response to describe household relationships for the first time in the survey's history. This report summarizes the characteristics of 2.1 million adopted children and 4.4 million stepchildren of householders as projected by the sample. Age of children, number of children, geographic location, racial origin, disability status, and income status are highlighted. The discussion also notes the race, living arrangement, age, and income status of the householder. Of 45.5 million households that reported children in 2000, 89 percent consisted of biological children only, 3 percent consisted of stepchildren only, 4 percent had both biological and stepchildren, 2 percent consisted of adopted children only, and 2 percent had both adopted and biological children. The majority of households with adopted children had only one adopted child. Eighteen percent of households with adopted children included people of different races. 44 notes, 6 figures, 9 tables.

Explores issues that are specifically relevant to single people considering adoption. The factsheet includes information about available adoption opportunities, including domestic adoption, intercountry adoption, and adopting from foster care. It also discusses the importance of having a support system and dispels the myth that being single impedes the adoption process.

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. In addition, other types of assistance often are available to help with medical care or other services. Adoption assistance serves to remove barriers and contribute to an increase in adoption of children with special needs. This factsheet discusses this assistance by reviewing: Federal Title IV-E adoption assistance, State adoption assistance, and how to arrange adoption assistance.

Discusses common elements of the home study process and addresses questions you may have about this important adoption requirement. A major step in building your family through adoption is the home study. Specific home study requirements and processes vary greatly from agency to agency, State to State, and (in the case of intercountry adoption) by the child's country of origin. They are also subject to change.

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.

Provides information and guidance for exploring parenting and adoption options and about making an adoption plan. It points to resources that may help those contemplating adoption come to a choice that feels best for them and their child. Others who are affected by adoption decisions, such as relatives, also may find this factsheet useful for answering some of their important questions.

Discusses the requirements set by States for conducting background checks of prospective foster and adoptive parents and other out-of-home caregivers, as well as any adults residing in the prospective caregivers' households. These checks, including State and Federal criminal records and child abuse and neglect central registries, are part of the process of assessing the suitability of these caregivers to provide a safe home for children placed in their care. The circumstances that will disqualify an applicant also are discussed. An overview of Federal requirements also is provided. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.

Explores how professionals can help youth in foster care consider the full range of legal and relational permanency options available to them as well as understand the feelings that may underlie a young person’s reluctance to pursue permanency.

Responding to concerns about the over-representation of minority children in the child welfare system, particularly African-American children, the Children's Bureau sponsored an exploratory qualitative study of the child welfare system's response to children of color. The project was intended to gain insight into the issue of over-representation (or racial disproportionality) from the perspective of the child welfare community, including agency administrators, supervisors, and direct service workers, and to describe the strategies child welfare and child-welfare serving agencies use to meet the needs of children and families of color in the child welfare system. The project team conducted site visits to child welfare agencies to talk with agency administrators, supervisors, and workers, among others, regarding the issue of over-representation, and to find out more about the types of programs, practices, and strategies that are being implemented to meet the needs of children and families of color, particularly African-American children and families. Nine sites were selected for participation, including: one agency each in Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, California, North Carolina, Virginia, and Texas, and two agencies in Minnesota. Participants were asked to describe their own general perceptions of the issue of overrepresentation, the types of policies, procedures or practices they thought would enable their agency to better serve children and families of color, and their own agencies' ongoing programs and policies that address the needs of children and families of color. Across all sites, an overwhelming majority of participants at all levels cited poverty, and poverty-related circumstances, as primary reasons for the over-representation of minority children in the child welfare system. In terms of directions for change, the overwhelming emphasis among participants was for agencies to focus on prevention and provide more front-end or prevention programs and services to families. Current efforts of agencies to serve children of color included prevention programs, recruitment of minority foster and adoptive families, systems reform, collaboration and contracted services, developing councils on over-representation, and focusing on agency practices, including implementing practices related to training and supervision of staff and hiring a diverse staff to better represent the population. A literature review, implications for policy and practice, and recommendations for future research are provided. 111 references. (Author abstract modified)

Presents an overview of State statutes regarding the proper execution of consent when a child is placed for adoption. Consent refers to the agreement by a parent, or a person or agency acting in place of a parent, to relinquish a child for adoption and release all rights and duties with respect to that child. The topics covered include the persons who must consent to a child's adoption, the child's consent to his or her adoption, timeframes for consent, and guidelines for revocation of consent.

Presents an overview of State statutes that designate the appropriate jurisdiction and venue for adoption proceedings. Jurisdiction refers to the type of court that has the authority to hear adoption cases; venue refers to the geographic location of the court.

Reviews the incidence and contributing factors for adoptions and guardianships that terminate prior to finalization (disruptions) or may terminate or be temporarily interrupted after finalization (discontinuity). This brief also discusses discontinuity and disruptions in intercountry adoptions as well as related topics, such as the effects of discontinuity and disruptions and unregulated custody transfers.

Ofrece una introducción a los muchos caminos que se pueden tomar para formar una familia a través de la adopción. Esta hoja informativa para familias proporciona una comprensión básica de los diferentes tipos de adopción y recursos relevantes. Incluye discusión sobre las leyes Estatales que rigen la adopción, la selección de una agencia o proveedor de servicios de adopción, el estudio del hogar, el proceso de ser emparejado con un niño, y más. Offers an introduction to the many paths that can be taken to start a family through adoption. This factsheet for families provides a basic understanding of the different types of adoption and relevant resources. It includes discussion of State laws governing adoption, choosing an agency or adoption services provider, completing the home study, being matched with a child, and more.

Introduces families to the various pathways to building your family through adoption. It addresses how prospective adoptive parents make the decision to adopt, such as with the help of an agency or adoption service provider. It also introduces the different types of adoption and guides you to relevant resources. Exploring your adoption options will help you understand the needs of children you may adopt and your family's strengths and challenges in caring for and supporting those children. Understanding your family's abilities can help you make thoughtful decisions about the child you are best suited to embrace as part of your family.

Summarizes what foster parents should consider while deciding whether to adopt the child or youth in their care. 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.

This publication is designed to help prospective adoptive parents understand the adoption process and shorten the length of time it takes to adopt. It provides an overview of the services provided by the New York Coalition on Adoptable Children, defines adoption and who is eligible to adopt, and how the Coalition can help. Tips for selecting an adoption agency are provided, as well as information regarding termination of parental rights, finalization, and post-adoption services. An appendix includes a list of parental characteristics that predict success in finalizing an adoption. Also includes a glossary, suggested reading list, and local and national adoption resources.

This publication is designed to help prospective adoptive parents understand the various phases in the adoption process, and to help them shorten the length of time it takes to adopt a child. It is meant to be used along with the information provided by the COAC orientation program, and contains much of the same material.

Esta publicación está diseñada para ayudar a los posibles padres adoptivos con el proceso de la adopción. Ofrece una perspectiva general de los servicios proporcionados por la New York Coalition on Adoptable Children (Coalición de Nueva York para Niños Adoptables), define la adopción y quién es elegible para adoptar.

Provides suggestions for finding an adoption-competent therapist and offers information about the types of therapy that can help adopted children and their families. Foster parents considering adoption could face similar issues and therefore also may find definitions and descriptions in this factsheet useful.

Addresses some of the concerns that LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and other diverse identities and expressions, including Two-Spirit) prospective foster and adoptive parents may encounter when deciding to foster or adopt a child or navigating the process. The landscape of parenting options for LGBTQ+ individuals and couples has grown considerably in recent years, with an increasing number of LGBTQ+ parents choosing to build their families through fostering or adoption. Although many agencies, both public and private, are welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community, LGBTQ+ foster and adoptive parents continue to face challenges related to adoption.

Provides professionals with information to help children, youth, and adoptive families develop and maintain appropriate and evolving connections with their birth families. Children and youth who are adopted need to maintain relationships with their birth families, previous caregivers, or other important connections, and it is vital that their parents support them in doing so. Nurturing these relationships is in the best interests of the child, as ongoing contact with birth family members may minimize or resolve his or her feelings of grief and loss due to separation.

Helps adoptive parents support children, youth, and birth families in strengthening their relationships. Children and youth who have been adopted and maintain relationships with their birth families, caregivers, and other important people in their lives benefit in significant ways. Adoptive parents can play an instrumental role in helping their children maintain contact with their birth families or other important caregivers.

Offers guidance on helping children with the foster-to-adoption transition process, including specific coping strategies for different developmental stages. Explores ways to promote attachment and provides resources available to help families with permanency.

Summarizes State laws and policies for approving prospective adoptive homes. The publication describes who must be included in the home study, qualifications for adoptive parents, elements of the home study process, exceptions for stepparent or relative placements, postplacement assessments of the child's adjustment to the adoptive family, requirements for placements across State lines, and more.

2010 National Adoption Month Poster Honor National Adoption Month All Year. Honre el mes nacional de adopción durante todo el año.

Reports an estimate of the number of children adopted in each of the States for 2000 and 2001 and uses these numbers to estimate the composition and trends of all adoptions in the United States. Key findings include the fact that, in 2000 and 2001, about 127,000 children were adopted annually in the United States.

Provides highlights from the full report of How Many Children Were Adopted in 2000 and 2001?, which provides an estimate of the number of children adopted in each of the States for 2000 and 2001 and uses these numbers to estimate the composition and trends of all adoptions in the United States. Key findings include the fact that, in 2000 and 2001, about 127,000 children were adopted annually in the United States.

Provides national statistical estimates for the total number of children adopted in the United States in fiscal years 2007 and 2008. The report includes highlights of the data; findings on the numbers of public agency, intercountry, and other adoptions; and data aggregations in exhibits, tables, and appendices. Data were collected by State courts, State bureaus of vital records, the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs.

This factsheet provides a brief overview of the steps that prospective adoptive families may take to assess the reputation of licensed, private adoption agencies.

Provides an overview of the seven core issues in adoption and how they may affect the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of children and adults who have been adopted, birth parents, and adoptive parents. Although adoption is often a joyful and exciting occasion, it can also give rise to lifelong challenges for members of the adoption constellation. Awareness of these issues can help families better understand each other and the personal effects of the adoption experience.

Ofrece una visión general de las siete cuestiones centrales de la adopción y cómo pueden afectar los pensamientos, sentimientos y experiencias de niños y adultos que han sido adoptados, padres biológicos y padres adoptivos. Aunque la adopción es a menudo una ocasión alegre y emocionante, también puede presentar desafíos de por vida para los miembros de la constelación de adopción. El conocimiento de estos problemas puede ayudar a las familias a comprenderse mejor entre sí y a entender los efectos personales de la experiencia de adopción.Provides an overview of the seven core issues in adoption and how they may affect the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of children and adults who have been adopted, birth parents, and adoptive parents. Although adoption is often a joyful and exciting occasion, it can also give rise to lifelong challenges for members of the adoption constellation. Awareness of these issues can help families better understand each other and the personal effects of the adoption experience.

This factsheet provides a guide to intercountry adoption, including information on requirements and processes you may need before and after you are matched with a child; how to select the adoption service provider that is right for you; and eligibility, immigration, and citizenship requirements. There is also information about how to prepare for parenting an internationally adopted child, bringing your child home, and tips for adjusting to a new family structure for you and your new child. A list of additional resources is also provided.

Discusses the right of an adopted child to inherit from his or her adoptive parents whether or not the parent has written a will. In some States, an adopted person also may retain the right to inherit from a birth parent. The right of inheritance of an adopted child who has been omitted from a will also is discussed. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.

Provee información sobre la Ley de 2008 Sobre el Promover de las Conexiones Para Lograr el Éxito y el Aumento de las Adopciones. Esta ley modifica las partes B y E del título IV de la Ley de Seguridad Social para conectar y apoyar a los parientes proveedores de cuidado, mejorar los ingresos para los niños bajo cuidado de crianza, proveer el acceso a cuidado de crianza y la adopción tribal, mejorar los incentivos para la adopción y otros propósitos.Provides information on the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008. This act amends parts B and E of title IV of the Social Security Act to connect and support relative caregivers, improve outcomes for children in foster care, provide for tribal foster care and adoption access, improve incentives for adoption, and for other purposes.

Provides an overview of adoption processes that are specific to military families, such as receiving permanent change of station orders or being deployed overseas. Although military families who adopt will primarily go through the same process as civilian families, the process may vary depending on whether the military family is stationed in the United States or overseas.

This two-page flier provides a brief listing of online adoption and foster care resources available from AdoptUsKids and Child Welfare Information Gateway. One side is printed in English; the other is printed in Spanish.

Discusses how you can help children and youth in your care by educating yourself about child sexual abuse, understanding the impact of the abuse, establishing guidelines for safety and privacy in your family, and seeking help if you need it. Reading this factsheet alone will not guarantee that you will know what to do in every circumstance, but you can use it as a resource for some of the potential challenges and rewards that lie ahead.

Discusses the nature of trauma, especially abuse or neglect, the effects of trauma on children and youth, and ways to help a child who has experienced trauma. Parents or foster parents who do not understand the effects of trauma may misinterpret their child’s behavior, and attempts to address troubling behavior may be ineffective or, in some cases, even harmful. By understanding trauma, parents and foster parents can help support a child’s healing, the parent-child relationship, and their family as a whole.

This factsheet for families provides information to help families support their child in developing a healthy racial and cultural identity and live a vibrant multicultural life. It discusses the importance of examining thoughts and biases and preparing a child to live in a society where race has a major impact on individual lives. This factsheet can be used as a resource for information on some of the potential rewards and challenges that come with choosing to live a multicultural and multiracial family life.

Provides information to help parents understand the impact of adoption on their preschooler's development and provide practical strategies to build a warm and loving relationship with their child based on honesty and trust. This factsheet can serve as a reference during a child's preschool years.

Offers information designed to help adoptive parents understand and respond to their school-age child's developmental needs. It provides simple, practical strategies you can use to foster healthy development, including approaches for building attachment; addressing trauma, grief, and loss; talking honestly with your child about adoption; acknowledging his or her adoption history; using effective discipline; and enhancing your child's school experience. Because some adoptive families will need extra support to address their children's mental or behavioral health needs, the factsheet also discusses when and how to seek help.

Provides information to help adoptive parents understand the needs and experiences of their teen and use practical strategies to foster healthy development. These strategies include approaches that acknowledge potential trauma and loss, support effective communication, promote independence, and address possible behavioral and mental health concerns.

Seeks to explain the various adoption expenses and some of the resources that may be available. This factsheet includes information about types of adoption and resources to help pay for adoption.

Examines State laws and policies regarding the development and implementation of plans of safe care that are required by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to ensure the safety and well-being of infants who are identified as being affected by prenatal substance use. The issues addressed include notification/reporting requirements; assessment of the infant and family; development of the plan of safe care; services for the infant, parents, or other caregivers; and monitoring plans of safe care.

Presents State statutes on postadoption contact agreements, which are arrangements that allow contact between a child's adoptive family and members of the child's birth family. Topics covered include the contents of agreements; parties to agreements; the court's role; and enforcing, modifying, and terminating agreements.

Provides caseworkers with information and resources about the importance of preparing adoptive parents as well as how they can help prepare them for this journey. Information in this bulletin also may be pertinent for working with families formed through other types of permanency, such as guardianship. Caseworkers can support families adopting children from foster care by being upfront with them about what they might expect regarding bonding with the child, parenting a child who has experienced loss and grief, how parents and children may emotionally process the adoption, the supports available to both the child and parents, and other important topics.

Helps child welfare professionals better understand the feelings and emotions children may experience regarding permanency and prepare them for placements with permanent families. Its focus is on adoption, but much of the information is also applicable to children with other permanency goals, such as kinship care or guardianship. Children, including youth, leaving out-of-home care for adoption or other family permanency require preparation and support to help them understand past events in their lives and process feelings connected to their experiences of abuse and neglect, separation, and loss.

Analiza los elementos comunes del proceso de estudio del hogar y aborda las preguntas que pueda tener sobre este importante requisito de adopción. Los requisitos y procesos específicos del estudio del hogar varían mucho de una agencia a otra, de un Estado a otro y (en el caso de la adopción entre países) según el país de origen del niño. También están sujetos a cambios.Discusses common elements of the home study process and addresses questions you may have about this important adoption requirement. Specific home study requirements and processes vary greatly from agency to agency, State to State, and (in the case of intercountry adoption) by the child's country of origin. They are also subject to change.

Provides information for child welfare professionals about the importance of permanency for youth and strategies for achieving it. Permanency efforts for youth should include both legal permanency (e.g., reunification, adoption, kinship care) and relational permanency (i.e., a relationship or connection with a caring adult, such as a relative, neighbor, service provider, teacher, or other important person in the youth's life). These adults may provide lifelong support that can help youth transition to adulthood and may even become a legal permanent option for the youth.

Draws from available literature and practice knowledge to summarize key issues related to providing effective services to support the stability and permanency of adoptions. It is intended to support adoption professionals in addressing adoptive parents' and children's needs for services, recognizing key considerations in providing services, addressing emerging issues, and meeting common challenges in delivery.

Summarizes State laws regarding the types of information that adoptive parents are provided about the background of the child they are hoping to adopt. The information generally relates to medical and genetic history, family and social background, and mental health history of the child and the child's birth family. For the adopted child or youth, it also may include placement history and any history of abuse or neglect. Exceptions for stepparent and relative adoptions also are discussed.

Provides an overview of State laws regarding the regulation of the fees and expenses that adoptive parents are expected to pay when arranging a private adoptive placement. Some of the fees and expenses that are typically addressed include placement costs, such as agency fees; legal fees and attorney expenses for adoptive and birth parents; and some of the expenses of the birth mother during pregnancy. Requirements for reporting adoption-related expenses to the court also are addressed. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.

This report to Congress outlines the findings of two adoption-research studies conducted as part of The Collaboration to AdoptUsKids. In the first study, a nationwide purposive sample of 300 families seeking to adopt children with special needs from the public child welfare system was selected, interviewed, and surveyed to determine actual and potential barriers to the completion of the adoption process. In addition, a nationwide sample of 382 private -- and public-agency adoption staff members were surveyed to assess their opinions regarding barriers to the adoption process. This first study is referred to as the "Barriers" study in this report. In the second study, a four-year prospective examination of a nationwide sample of 161 families who had adopted children with special needs was conducted in order to determine factors that contributed to successful adoption outcomes. This research study is referred to as the "Success Factors" study in this report. When all represented States are counted in both studies, family and staff participants came from all ten standard Federal regions, 47 States and the District of Columbia. (Author abstract)

In response to a legislative requirement under the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services conducted a survey of all States and territories to identify promising practices and possible strategies to overcome barriers to interjurisdictional placements. The survey was the first comprehensive compilation of current, promising strategies, and supports required to improve the interjurisdictional placement process for children in the child welfare system. This report provides background information on children in foster care, especially those for whom interjurisdictional adoptive placements are viable options, and describes key steps in the process to achieve permanent placements for children exiting foster care. The legal and procedural frameworks that govern the movement of children in foster care to homes in jurisdictions outside their State or county of residence are presented. Barriers that interfere with or delay interjurisdictional placements are then described, and strategies States are using to address them are summarized from the national survey on interjurisdictional placement. A synopsis of strategies employed by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to support improvements in interjurisdictional adoptive placements is also presented and include Child and Family Service Reviews, the Children's Bureau Training and Technical Assistance Network, and discretionary grants. The report concludes with a summary of the issues and the strategies employed to improve outcomes for children in foster care whose permanent families reside across jurisdictional lines. 37 references. (Author abstract modified)

Provides an overview of State laws related to the rights of unmarried fathers and the methods by which a man may establish a legal parent-child relationship with his child. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the constitutional protection of an unmarried father's parental rights when he has established a substantial relationship with his child. The circumstances in which a man may be presumed to be the father of a child, the use of putative fathers' registries, the use of genetic tests to establish parentage, and the right of rescission of paternity claims also are discussed. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.

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 and 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 search, and reunion issues.

Explores relevant research, strategies, and resources to assist child welfare professionals in preserving connections among siblings. Sibling relationships can provide positive support and improved outcomes for children involved with child welfare as well as for those in the general population. Connections with siblings can serve as a protective factor for children who have been removed from their birth homes, but for a variety of reasons, siblings may not be placed together or may not have regular contact.

Provides an overview of Federal requirements that apply to adoptions finalized in another country by U.S. citizens. It also discusses requirements that adoptive parents must meet in their State of residence in order to gain State recognition of the adoption and to receive a new State-issued birth certificate for their adopted child. The topics addressed include recognition of foreign adoption decrees, when readoption is required by the State of residence, and applying for a State birth certificate.

Highlights the adoption-related resources and services Child Welfare Information Gateway offers for both professionals and families. Child Welfare Information Gateway promotes the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families by connecting adoption and other child welfare professionals to information and resources that help them address the needs of children and families in their communities.

Describes the steps involved when a person wishes to adopt the child of his or her spouse and discusses legal issues and help for parents. The issues addressed include requirements for home studies and background checks, obtaining the consent of the child's noncustodial parent, and the process for completing the adoption. Resources for more information are included.

Provides child welfare professionals with a framework for how to talk with older youth about permanency, including key considerations and suggestions for starting a conversation as well as ways to make these discussions more effective and meaningful.

This set includes 23 tip sheets written to help service providers offer guidance to parents and caregivers on specific issues, while supporting factors known to protect families from the risk of child abuse and neglect. Each easy-to-read factsheet focuses on concrete steps parents can take to care more effectively for their children and strengthen their family.

Provides national statistical estimates for the total number of children adopted in the United States in fiscal years 2008–2012. The report includes highlights of the data; findings on the numbers of public agency, intercountry, and other adoptions; and data aggregations in exhibits, tables, and appendices. Data were collected from State courts, State departments of social services, State bureaus of vital records, the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs.

Adoption subsidies are perhaps the single-most powerful tool by which the child welfare system can encourage adoption and support adoptive families. Yet little is known about the factors associated with the receipt and amount of subsidies. Data from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) offer an opportunity to examine how states use adoption subsidies to help achieve goals of permanency and well-being for children. Of particular interest to this study are patterns of subsidy receipt, the role of federal support for adoption subsidies under Title IV-E, and the relationship between adoption subsidies and adoption outcomes, including the rate of adoptions among eligible children and the timeliness of adoption. Questions of interest include the extent and funding of subsidies; the relationship between children's characteristics, foster care experiences, and subsidy receipt and amount; and variations among states in subsidy practice. These analyses use AFCARS data representing all adoptions during the years FY 1999 to FY 2001. Findings indicate: 1) Nearly all children adopted from foster care in recent years received an adoption subsidy; 2) The median monthly adoption subsidy was $444 per month; 3) Among newly adopted children receiving subsidies, 84 percent received federal adoption assistance through Title IV-E; 4) Children's age and special needs status influenced subsidy receipt and amount; 5) Pre-adoptive relationship and other characteristics of adoptive families influenced children's subsidies; and 6) Analyses found some support for associations between subsidies and adoption outcomes. (Author abstract modified)

Provides an overview of state laws related to efforts to curtail the practice of some adoptive parents placing their adopted children into the custody of unrelated persons without the oversight of a child welfare agency or court. Such transfers put a child at risk of abuse, neglect, emotional trauma, and placement instability. States are utilizing a variety of approaches to curb the practice, including criminalizing the act, placing limits on delegating parental authority through the use of power of attorney, and restricting the use of advertising to find placements for a child. Summaries of laws for all states and U.S. territories are included.

Discusses States laws that permit, regulate, or prohibit the use of advertising or facilitators in private or independent adoptions. Some adoptive parents choose to advertise their interest in adopting, while others may choose to utilize the services of adoption facilitators or intermediaries.

Summarizes State laws regarding eligibility for becoming an adoptive parent (in terms of marital status, age, residency, and more), eligibility for being adopted as a child or adult, and authority to place a child for adoption.

Helps child welfare and adoption professionals expand their cultural competence and skills when working with and recruiting parents who identify as LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and other diverse identities and expressions, including Two-Spirit) and same-gender or gender-diverse couples. This bulletin includes information about challenges faced by LGBTQ+ foster and adoptive parents, suggestions for helping LGBTQ+ families navigate challenging systems, and resources for supporting transgender parents. It also examines laws and policies and provides tips for developing welcoming and affirming agencies to engage this vital community.

Provides an overview of how military families can meet the needs of children and youth eligible for adoption. Some children and youth may benefit from the support and training that military families receive, as well as the structured lifestyle that many military families have. It also addresses the unique adoption concerns facing military families, such as permanent change of station orders and deployment overseas during the adoption process. Adoption professionals should learn about military culture and be aware of the different resources available to military families who wish to adopt.