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  • Adjusting to Family Life

Adjusting to Family Life

The change from life in another country to life in an adoptive family requires adjustments for both children and families. In many countries, children who need permanent families are cared for in institutions or orphanages, which may make adjusting more difficult. In this section, find resources to help prevent adoption dissolution and to assist with parenting a child adopted from another country.  

11 Tips for Building Strong Relationships Among Family Members 
AdoptUSKids 
Offers tips on successfully integrating an adopted child into an existing family and how to make your adopted child and other children comfortable with the process.  

Adoptive Families Need Ongoing Support 
Smith & Howard (2017)
North American Council on Adoptable Children
Highlights the importance of providing ongoing support to families after an adoption, since many adopted children have experienced loss and trauma and have chronic behavior problems or other problems that may intensify as they get older. 

Increasing Permanency: Seven Principles for Building Emotionally Stable Foster & Adoptive Families 
Hall & Merkert (2019) 
Adoption Advocate, 129
Offers information for adoptive or foster parents on what to expect when bringing a child into the family and the types of new parenting skills they may need to learn to best be able to build stable homes. The principles that are shared touch on neurobiology and how learning to navigate and process emotions in a successful way is vital for families. 

Plan, Prepare, and Support to Prevent Disruptions 
Riggs (2017) 
North American Council on Adoptable Children 
Explains adoption disruption and discusses why disruptions take place and how they can be prevented. The article reviews evidence that shows using matching, adequate preparation, thoughtful transitions, and family support provided after an adoption can help increase family stability and prevent another removal for the child. 

Realistic Expectations: Preparing a Child for Adoption
Eldridge (2016)
Rainbow Kids Adoption and Child Welfare Advocacy
Discusses how children being adopted internationally may have little to no preparation for their adoption and how parents can help these children feel more comfortable in their new homes.

Support After Adoption (PDF - 69 KB) 
Child Welfare Information Gateway (2018) 
Discusses post-adoption support services and preservation services available to families. The publication reviews why families may need help, types of services, how to find services, and more. 

What to Expect After Adoption 
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs
Reviews what parents should do after an international adoption and provides information on postadoption reporting and postadoption services available to help parents and adopted children thrive as a family. 

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Spotlight On

Accessing Adoption Support and Preservation Services
Child Welfare Information Gateway
(2018)
The Impact of Adoption
Child Welfare Information Gateway
(2019)
Parenting Your Adopted Preschooler
Child Welfare Information Gateway
(2021)
Parenting Your Adopted School-Age Child
Child Welfare Information Gateway
(2021)

Parenting Your Adopted Teenager
Child Welfare Information Gateway
(2021)

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