This manual for child advocates in New York describes detailed procedures for organizing and operating citizen adoption groups and provides background information on the decision-making bodies, funding sources and resource organizations involved in adoptions. Procedures for changing bureaucracies and influencing legislation are emphasized. Information acquisition, processing and dissemination functions of adoption groups are specified. Parent, child, and agency relations as well as funding procedures and state and national organizations for child advocates are explored in the first part of the manual. Part 2 presents definitions of legal and organizational terms and expands acronyms. Also given are the authors' positions on issues concerning advocacy and adoptions; basic statistical information on children needing services; and brief descriptions of law, regulations and court decisions concerning child welfare. Sources of adoptive children and organizational resources for applicants are briefly described. Public officials and agencies who make decisions affecting adoption and foster care are listed and their positions defined. Funding procedures for child care services are outlined. A bibliography is included. (RH)