Coparenting is associated with child behavior in families with heterosexual parents, but less is known about coparenting among lesbian- and gay-parent families. Associations were studied among self-reported divisions of labor, coparenting observations, and child adjustment ("M[subscript age]" = 3 years) among 104 adoptive families headed…

Children with disabilities and special needs make up the vast majority of those currently being adopted internationally into the United States (U.S.). China has been a leading sending country for international adoption since the 1990s and remains one of the few nations with thousands of orphaned or abandoned children, many with congenital…

Introduction: The theoretical-empirical study is based on two particular case studies of families bringing up children from institutional care. It deals with the real needs of foster families, with the foster parents' perception of fostering and their experiences from the time spent with children in foster care, about the children's behaviour in…

This volume reports on the final phase of a research project to study the effects of adoption on parental, child, and family functioning. To provide a background for the study, the development of adoption in the United States and the theory and practice of adoption are discussed. The study asked three questions: (1) How adequately do adoptive…

Parents adopting traumatized children from foster care or from other settings have unique needs for post adoption support. This paper seeks to present those needs from the unique viewpoint of an adoptive physician mother. Circles of care around the child include the family, the community and wider systems of support.

Intended as a guide to parenting materials for parents and professionals who work with parents, this sourcebook and annotated bibliography of 940 entries is divided into five parts. Topical chapters in each part list and describe books and journals categorized as popular titles, professional titles, and directories. Chapters in part 1 list and…

These course outlines were prepared for project instructors involved in training foster parents. The courses are designed for a 24-hour discussion format. Each course outline provides a statement of general objectives, a list of specific goals to be achieved in the course, important points to be emphasized and suggested activities and reading…

Intended for adoptive parents and adoption practitioners and intermediaries, this book uses the metaphor of space exploration to provide practical strategies for meeting the adopted infant's needs and smoothing the transition. Chapter 1, "Mission: To Explore New Worlds," discusses adoptive and birth parent preparation, loss issues, and society's…