The Basics of Adoption: A Guide for Building Families in the U.S. and Canada

305 Pages·2006·0.58 MB·English

by  James L. Dickerson

The Basics of Adoption: A
Guide for Building
Families in the U.S. and
Canada
James L. Dickerson
Mardi Allen
PRAEGER
The Basics of Adoption

The Basics of Adoption
A Guide for Building Families
in the U.S. and Canada
James L.Dickerson
and
Mardi Allen
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Dickerson, James.
The basics of adoption : a guide for building families in the U.S. and Canada /
James L. Dickerson and Mardi Allen.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0–275–98799–X (alk. paper)
1. Adoption—United States. 2. Adoption—Canada. I. Allen, Mardi, 1951– .
II. Title.
HV875.55.D53 2006
362.7340973—dc22 2006019255
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available.
Copyright © 2006 by James L. Dickerson Literary Trust and Mardi Allen
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be
reproduced, by any process or technique, without the
express written consent of the publisher.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2006019255
ISBN: 0–275–98799–X
First published in 2006
Praeger Publishers, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc.
www.praeger.com
Printed in the United States of America
The paper used in this book complies with the
Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National
Information Standards Organization (Z39.48–1984).
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
In memory of Mardi Allen’s father, Edward Earl Allen, a man whose jour-
ney through life had more to do with others than himself
James L. Dickerson dedicates this book to R. S. Fenemore and the late Reg
Barrett who gave him his first job as a social worker
This publication contains the opinion and ideas of its authors. It is intended to pro-
vide helpful and informative material on the subjects addressed in the publication.
It is sold with the understanding that the authors and publisher are not engaged in
rendering adoption, legal, medical, or any other kind of professional services in the
book. The authors and publisher specifically disclaim all responsibility for any lia-
bility, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence,
directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book.
Contents
Preface ix
Acknowledgments xi
Chapter One Starting the Adoption Process 1
Chapter Two What They Want to Know about You 19
Chapter Three They Gave You a Child: Now What? 39
Chapter Four International Adoptions 47
Chapter Five Adoption in Canada 73
Chapter Six Raising an Adopted Child 99
Chapter Seven Single-Parent Adoptions 131
Chapter Eight Gay and Lesbian Adoptions 161
Chapter Nine Adoption Agencies in the United States
and Canada 179
Bibliography 277
Index 285

Preface
This book began as an idea and quickly escalated to a passion.
The idea was that, of all the adoption books on the market, none were
written by what we considered the best possible combination of authors:
a social worker who has placed hundreds of children into foster and adop-
tive homes, and a clinical psychologist who has had more than two
decades of experience dealing with parenting issues. Books written by
adoptive parents, academics, and journalists are useful additions to the
literature on adoption—indeed I have enjoyed a lively second career as a
journalist—but they are limited, almost by definition, in the depth of infor-
mation they can provide to prospective adoptive parents. When it comes
to navigating the world of adoption, there is no substitute for guides who
have real-world, professional experience.
What we have tried to do with this book, successfully we hope, is merge
the sometimes competing professions of social work and psychology in
such a way as to provide the sort of authoritative, behind-the-scenes infor-
mation about adoption that is not available anywhere else. While we cover
every aspect of adoption in this book, our focus is on adoption in the
United States and Canada, and on the unique parenting challenges that
face adoptive parents. Adoption is a lifesaver for the children affected by
it, and a life builder for those who open their homes to these children.
With nine years experience screening foster and adoptive parents for the
Children’s Aid Society of Leeds and Grenville County in Brockville,
Ontario, and for Adoptions International in Memphis, Tennessee, I feel
lucky to have participated in that process as a screener. My job required
me to interview foster and adoptive parents, match children with parents,
and supervise placements during six-month probationary periods. For me,
ix