"This book discusses the history of adoption, uncontested and contested adoptions, as well as how to prep for trial"--

This work considers adoption made after court proceedings which have been contested by birth families or guardians. Such adoptions are growing as a percentage of all adoption orders. Key recommendations of the White Paper on adoption are included, and considered in the context of adoption practice.

California Adoption Law and Procedure explains the law governing contested adoptions. It covers the four types of adoptions (independent, agency, stepparent and intercountry), and briefly discusses those aspects of guardianship and juvenile dependency law which relate to adoptions. This book explores the "best interests of the child" and the home study process. It also seeks to explain "consent," whose consent must be obtained, and whether consent may be revoked. The book further describes the roles of attorneys, adoption service providers, adoption facilitators, adoption agencies and governmental agencies. It seeks to clarify the rights of the adoptive parents, the child, and of third parties, whether or not a Postadoption Contact Agreement is in place. This text discusses interstate conflicts and how laws such as the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act operate. It also covers the new federal statutes and regulations which implement the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. Prof. Everett L. Skillman is a member of the adjunct faculty at the University of San Diego School of Law. He and his wife Shelley were foster parents for three years and adoptive parents for 12 years after that. At seminars conducted by social services agencies and private agencies, Prof. Skillman had the good fortune of meeting many wonderful, committed fellow foster parents, and learning how they overcame a wide variety of challenges. Prof. Skillman has been licensed to practice law since 1990; he has taught several courses on Adoption Law; he has helped many others complete their adoptions; and he has been certified since 2000 by the California State Bar as a specialist in appellate law.

It is now over 20 years since 'open adoption' was first introduced, but it remains a controversial and contested part of social work practice. This innovative and far ranging book sets out to understand why the practice of keeping adopted children in touch with their kinship origins is still so questioned in contemporary adoption work. Written by an experienced practitioner in the field, this book applies, for the first time, Foucauldian methodology to analyze and understand adoption social work, making it essential reading for a wide audience in the social sciences.

You hear all sorts of things said or implied about adoption. Some information comes from people who know a lot about it, while some comes from people who don’t know anything about it but make assumptions anyway. Some comes from people whose experiences have been good; some from those whose experiences have been bad. The result? Enough conflicting information to make your head spin. So when everyone has an opinion and most of the books on the market deal with specific aspects on adoption or particular types of adoptions, where do you turn to for reliable information? Start with Adoption For Dummies. The great thing about this guide is that you decide where to start and what to read. It’s a reference you can jump into and out of at will. Just head to the table of contents or the index to find the information you want. Each part of Adoption For Dummies covers a particular aspect of adoption, including: Answering the basic adoption questions – How much does it cost? Who’s involved? How long does it take? What do I need to know that I don’t know to ask? And more. Getting started – and figuring out what steps you have to take. Dealing with birthmothers and birthfathers – and why, even though they may not be part of your life, they’re still important to you. Confronting the issues adoptive families face – issues from sharing the adoption story with your child, to answering your child's questions about his birthparents, to handling rude family members who treat your child differently than her cousins. Finding help – from books, resources, and support groups. No adoption book – at least no adoption book that you can carry around without a hydraulic lift – can tell you everything there is to know about adoption. What Adoption For Dummies tells you is what you need to know, all in an easy-to-use reference.

A detailed explanation of private adoption, more accurately called "parental placement adoption," in Virginia.

Adoption: Changing Families, Changing Times draws together contributions from all those with an interest in adoption: adopted people; birth parents and adoptive parents; practitioners and managers in the statutory and voluntary sectors; academics and policy makers. Chapters on research and policy are interspersed with those from people with first-hand experience of being adopted, becoming an adoptive parent or giving a child up for adoption. Together, they provide unique insights into a subject that although regularly in the media is often surrounded by prejudice and misconception. Topics covered include: * children and young people in care * trying to adopt * waiting for adoption * life after adoption * the politics of adoption. This accessible text offers a comprehensive view of adoption policy, practice and services and analyses why adoption has become so controversial. It provides professional and general reader alike with a fully rounded picture of adoption and exposes some of the myths surrounding it.