Forthcoming from Lyceum Books, Inc., Adoption in the United States: A Reference for Families, Professionals and Students, provides information about adoptions for each state and will be a suitable resource for graduate-level students, professionals, and parents.

 

Adoption in the United States: A Reference for Families, Professionals and Students provides a wide range of information about adoption, as well as a developmental perspective on basic medical and behavioral health information written by experts to help educate parents, professionals and students about issues relevant to children who were or will be adopted or who have experienced foster care.  Social workers and students of social work, lawyers and educators will also find the information in this book useful.
 
Generally, adoption of children in the United States is not regulated by federal laws; rather, it is governed by individual state law.  Regulations, procedures, and professionals involved in adoption vary from state to state.  The adoption process can seem overwhelming for expectant (birth) parents and prospective adoptive parents as they must sort through the procedural aspects while managing a wide array of emotions.  Well informed professionals in the fields of social work, psychology, law and medicine can guide and support parents and children throughout the process.  This reference book provides information about state laws throughout the United States that cover all aspects of adopting a child, whether the adoption is private or public, domestic or intercountry. 
 
Prospective adoptive parents, birth parents, and professionals will all be able to use the information available here to help them understand their rights and responsibilities when making an adoption plan for a child, considering adoption as an option to create or expand a family, ensuring that a spouse or partner has the right to bear legal responsibility for their child, understanding the different types of adoptions and professionals involved, knowing the laws regarding adoption in their state and other states, and understanding the requirements to adopt children from other countries.

 
Prospective adoptive parents can use this book to prepare for the journey of adoption, all the way from selecting a professional, undergoing a home study, and bringing the child home, to living as a family for a lifetime.  Choosing adoption as a way to create or expand a family requires thoughtful consideration of the options available and the type of family one wants to create, as well as the leap of faith necessary for parenting regardless of how children come into a family. Many people who consider adoption have an array of concerns.  This book is meant to be a resource about the various aspects of adoption, and to provide research perspectives about what is currently known regarding outcomes for members of the adoption triad: children who were adopted, birth parents, and adoptive families.

If you are interested in placing your name on a pre-order publication list or are interested in receiving more information on when the book will be published, please e-mail your request to CAR@umassmed.edu and include your name, mailing address and phone number.