We know that the adoption process can be confusing and seem very complicated. Below we've included some of resources and organizations we feel are useful for our clients during their adoption process. Click on the topic that fits best what you are looking for:
www.adopt.org
This is the site for the National Adoption Center. This easy-to-navigate site has information about the process of adoption, a learning center with on line adoption tutorials, and a photo listing of children who are waiting.
www.adoptioninstitute.org
The Evan B. Donaldson Institute is devoted to improving adoption policy and practice. This is a great site for policy research.
Adoption Photo Listings
An adoption photo listing is a searchable database that contains photographs and descriptive information about children who are waiting in the foster care system.
www.adoptuskids.org
This is the national listing of children who are waiting. It gives you the ability to keep track of your search process by making your own page on the site. Very cool!
www.afteradoption.org
This site is the most comprehensive resource for adoption related information we have found. AFTER is an acronym for Adoptive Family Therapeutic and Educational Resources. It sorts all kinds of adoption information in an easy to navigate way. Most of the resources are provided as links to other sites, but this is the place to start and come back to over and over.
www.california-adoption.org
This site for the California Association of Adoption Agencies is great for helping you find an agency near you, and has a lot of good links as well.
www.cacfs.org
The California Alliance of Child and Family Services is a statewide association of more than 130 private nonprofit child and family serving agencies committed to providing the highest quality services in the most caring and effective fashion.
www.cakidsconnection.org
This is the site on which you can search for California's waiting children. Easy to navigate and informative, you can enter search criteria to find the child who is waiting for you.
www.childhoodmatters.org
The radio show for parents and all who care about kids. Listen on line!
www.childsworld.ca.gov
This is the site for the California State Department of Children's Social Services. It has a page for the ombudsman's office, and has a lot of information about foster parenting.
www.childwelfare.gov/adoption/index.cfm
The National Adoption Information Clearing House is another very comprehensive site offering a wealth of information. This one has a particular emphasis on adoption research and related data.
www.nacac.org
The North American Council on Adoptable Children offers parent support and education, research and advocacy services.
www.cakidsconnection.org
This is the site on which you can search for California's waiting children. Easy to navigate and informative, you can enter search criteria to find the child who is waiting for you.
www.adoptuskids.org
This is the national listing of children who are waiting. It gives you the ability to keep track of your search process by making your own page on the site. Very cool!
www.sierraadoption.org/afrc_aap.htm
Just about everything you will ever need to know about the adoption assistance program.
www.cwla.org
The Child Welfare League is the oldest and largest non-profit organization developing and promoting policies and programs to strengthen children and families. The site also has an adoption shop with all sorts of adoption books and trinkets (also known as "giftables.")
www.colage.org
COLAGE (or Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere) is the only national and international organization specifically dedicated to supporting young people with gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered parents. It's a virtual community which will assure your children that they are most certainly not alone!
www.pflag.org
The site for Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. This is mostly an advocacy site but offers some very good links to LGBT parenting sites.
www.ourfamily.org
Our Family Coalition promotes the civil rights and well-being of families with lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered members. Their site offers many news and legislative updates and legal resources. Also lists events for LGBT families in the San Francisco Bay Area.
www.attach.org
This is the site for ATTACH, an international coalition of parents and professionals, and offers a lot research and information about attachment disorders.
www.chadd.org
CHADD is the premier educational organization for people who are coping with Hyperactivity and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD).
www.add.org
The Attention Deficit Disorder Association has a huge web site that is a virtual community. Includes an area just for children and another just for teens. Very helpful.
www.ndss.org
Research, information, advocacy, and news about Down's syndrome. A
very comprehensive site.
www.pendulum.org
There are dozens of sites about bipolar disorder, but this is the most comprehensive and professional. Many of the others are not updated regularly, contain annoying popup ads or are personal stories. This site has on line communities, many links and is a great place to start.
www.bpkids.org
The site for the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation is a wonderful site with a learning center, scientific papers and research, news, a community center, videos and more. Very easy to navigate too. Membership in the foundation is free for families, but even non-members will find enough support and information here to keep them busy for quite a while.
www.nofas.org
The source for information about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Contains curriculum, workshops, parent handbook and video, and many helpful links. Incluye información en español.
www.lookingglass.org
Through the Looking Glass (TLG) is a nationally recognized center that has pioneered research, training, and services for families in which a child, parent or grandparent has a disability or medical issue. TLG is a disability community based nonprofit organization, which emerged from the independent living movement, and was founded in 1982 in Berkeley, California. TLG's mission is "To create, demonstrate and encourage non-pathological and empowering resources and model early intervention services for families with disability issues in parent or child which integrate expertise derived from personal disability experience and disability culture."
www.schwablearning.org
For parents and families affected by children with learning
disabilities, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders, or anyone who struggles with learning, this is the place to be. Filled with resources and support, and there is even a very large section just for children ages 8 to 12.
