Adoption Resources & Foster Care


Adoption resources & foster care guide

Considering adoption or foster care
 Adoption providers
Resources
Web resources


Not every one who seeks infertility treatment will become pregnant and deliver a child, even with today’s advanced reproductive technologies. If you have decided to end fertility treatment, you may choose to build a family through adoption or foster care.

Considering adoption or foster care

Adoptions can be arranged through a public or private agency or independently. Independent adoption usually involves an adoption attorney or other intermediary. The majority of adoptions in California are independent adoptions. In an agency adoption, the birth mother signs a “relinquishment,” and the agency places the child for adoption. In an independent adoption, the birth mother selects the adopting family.

Education and preparation is a very important part of making a successful adoption plan. In forming an adoption plan, consider your reasons for adoption and the kind of child you want to adopt (race, age, and special needs). Consider the type of adoption you want to pursue (public or private agency, independent or international) and the degree of openness you want in the adoption. Read all the information you can about adoption agencies, attorneys, support groups and laws. Attend seminars and pre-adopt meetings. Talk to those who have already adopted. Research not only adoption practices and services but the pre and post adoption psychological issues as well.

Consulting an experienced infertility/adoption counselor can facilitate making the decision to adopt.

Before choosing an adoption professional, locate and interview several reputable providers. Below is a list of some Bay Area adoption services providers.

Adoption providers

The listing of names does not imply the recommendation of any particular adoption provider.

 

 

Resolve

Adoptive Families
https://www.adoptivefamilies.com/
Adoption Connection (Jewish Family & Children’s Svcs)
1710 Scott Street
San Francisco, CA 94121
Main Line: (415) 851-3091
https://www.adoptivefamilies.com/

 

PACT An Adoption Alliance

(specializes in children of color)
5515 Doyle Street, Suite 1
Emeryville, CA 94608
(510) 243-9460
www.pactadopt.org

Adoption Law Offices

San Francisco and Petaluma
(415) 643-4523
https://adamsromer.com

Shelley Tarnoff, JD, MFT
Attorney

Family Formation
3685 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Suite 203
Lafayette, CA 94549-4133
(925) 945-1880 Fax (925)956-5201
www.familyformation.com

Madeline L Feingold, PhD
Psychologist
5665 College Avenue, Suite 240-C
Oakland, CA 94618
(510) 540-8715
MLFeingold@gmail.com
www.madelinefeingoldphd.com

Theresa Fleury, PhD
Psychologist
(510) 334-1663
www.theresafleuryphd.com

Melissa Holub, PhD
Psychologist
2955 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94705
(510) 848-7600 http://www.drmelissaholub.com/DrMeliss aHolub/Adoption_Expertise.html

Desmond B Tuck, JD
Attorney
177 Bovet Road #600
San Mateo, CA 94402 650-341-1895 https://www.destucklaw.com/about/
Beth Miller, MA
Family Formation Consultant
510-205-6556
www.bethmiller.net
The Adoption Consultancy
(813) 681-6232
Jennifer McCollum, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
302 Village Square Orinda, CA 94563
925-386-6037
http://greenleafpsych.com/ info@greenleafpsych.com

Resources

Books

Below are some books and resources that may be helpful in learning more about adoption.

Adopting: Sound choices Strong Families.

Patricia Irwin Johnston. Perspectives Press. Written to help prospective adoptive parents make smarter, more thoughtful decisions about adopting a child.

A Guidebook for Raising Foster Children

Dr. Susan McNair Blatt. Bervin & Garvey. A pediatrician and medical director of the House of Good Shepherd, a child welfare agency in Utica, New York-has written a useful, commonsense guide to foster parenting in the new millennium. A Guidebook for Raising Foster Children is for people just starting out as foster parents as well as those still only thinking about becoming care providers.

I’m Chocolate, You’re Vanilla: Raising Healthy Black and Biracial Children in a Race-Conscious World.

Marguerite A Wright. Tapestry Books. www.tapestrybooks.com

Are those kids yours? American Families with children adopted from other countries.

By Cheri Register. Free Press. 1990. A personal report about the experience of international adoptive families.

Complete Book of International Adoption: a step by step guide.

Dawn Davenport. www.tapestrybooks.com

Lifebooks: Creating a Treasure for the Adopted Child

Beth O’Malley

Neighborhood of the Heart Fostering the Future of Children

Randolph W. Severson, Ph.D.

Pact’s Multicultural Booksource

PACT Press.

Practical Tools for Foster Parents

Lana Temple-Plotz, Ted P. Stricklett, Michael Sterba

Racial Identity Building and Pride Connection

PACT Press

Web resources

Adoptive Families of America
www.adoptivefamilies.com

Adopting.com, Internet Adoption Resources
www.adopting.com

The Adoption Foundation
www.adoption.com

Adoption.org
www.adoption.org

Adopting.org
www.adopting.org

An Online Adoption Resource for Adoptive Parents
www.adoptachild.org

Families For Children
Families4Children.com

Pathway to a Home
Pathwaytohome.org

Family Builders
FamilyBuilders.org

Alameda County Foster Youth Alliance
FosterYouthAlliance.org