Whether you’re considering adoption, have already adopted, or are somewhere in the process, there’s a lot to learn and understand—and DePaul’s adoption team is here to help. We invite you to call one of our adoption specialists for help in your journey.
Additionally, the following resources have been collected to aid you on your adoption journey.
The North American Council of Adoptable Children offers advocacy, education, adoption support, and leadership development to adoptive, foster, and kinship parents. Their website offers extensive information on how to adopt, adoption subsidies, the adoption tax credit, post-adoption support, and more.
Center for Adoption Support and Education, also known as C.A.S.E., offers counseling services, education and resources, and community programs to parents throughout the adoption process. If you live in Virginia and have adopted internationally or through the public child welfare system, you may be eligible for free services under a grant with the state of Virginia.
NewFound Families is an adoption, foster, and kinship family association, formerly known as FACES of Virginia. Their article, 10 Things Every Foster-to-Adopt Parent in Virginia Should Know, is a must-read for parents considering or in the process of adopting. They also offer several free webinars on various adoption, foster, and kinship topics.
The Virginia Department of Social Services offers Title IV-E information and links to local Department of Social Services (DSS) agencies, as well as independent child placing agencies.
AdoptUSKids is a national project operated by the Adoption Exchange Association that supports child welfare systems and connects children in foster care with families. In addition to meeting children in the foster care system in need of homes, both families and professionals can access a wide range of topics on adoption and foster care. AdoptUSKids is made possible by the Children’s Bureau.
Child Welfare Information Gateway provides access to print and electronic publications, websites, databases, and online learning tools for professionals to improve child welfare practice, including resources that can be shared with families. Information, resources, and tools cover topics on child welfare, child abuse and neglect, out-of-home care, adoption, and more.
ATTACh is an international coalition of professionals and families dedicated to helping those with attachment difficulties by sharing their knowledge, talents, and resources. ATTACh offers year-round support and resources to parents and caregivers, including bimonthly support calls, a private Facebook page, and online training.
Adoptive Families is an all-digital quarterly magazine, as well as searchable website, for parents-to-be navigating the adoption process and for parents raising children through adoption. Adoptive Families provides information and support through expert articles, personal stories, expert audio, in-depth eBooks, made-for-sharing Clip & Save tipsheets, parent-to-parent interaction, and more.
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption offers grants to adoption organizations like DePaul, seeks to increase awareness about waiting children and the process to adopt, and offers free adoption resources to professionals and prospective and adoptive parents. Their Finding Forever Families step-by-step guide to adoption is available free via download and offers 10 steps every family should take when considering adoption, as well as information.
Pact provides consultation, adoptive placement, education, support, and community for adoptees and their families on issues of adoption and race.
EMK Press publishes a variety of books and helpful resources for families on the journey of parenting. You will find resources for teachers, social workers, therapists, agencies, and extended family. Their Realistic Expectations for Kinship Families is available free via download and offers more than 10 articles to help decide if kinship placement is right for your family.
Parentbooks offers a number of books for purchase on attachment theory, disorders, and treatments for both families and professionals.
Tapestry Books offers a wide range of books, gifts, DVDs, and CDs for purchase on topics including foster care adoption, kinship adoption, domestic and international adoption, open and closed adoption, and transracial adoption. Whether you’re an adoptive family, birth family, adoptee, or adoption professional, you’ll find the right book to fit your needs.
Northwest Media offers a wide variety of training resources for purchase on topics such as independent living, teen parenting, trauma, behavior management, family relationships, and more.
The Autism and Dental Care guide offers advice from dental experts to help patients and caregivers prepare for upcoming dental visits as well as helping them with tips and techniques that ensure proper oral health habits in the future.
How to Support Birth Mothers Throughout an Adoption provides actionable strategies that can help families and friends support birth mothers throughout the pregnancy and the adoption process.
Created by the Regis College Online Master of Social Work program, the State of Adoption in America is a detailed data visualization created for communities interested in adoption.
LGBTQ Adoption: How Adults Can Prepare to Become New Parents addresses the challenges LGBTQ couples and individuals may face throughout the adoption process, and provides actionable strategies for how they can navigate those situations.