Adoption in the United States, A Reference for Families, Professionals, and Students is a new book just released in May by Lyceum Books Incorporated. If you are new to the world of adoption, reading this book could save you hundreds of research hours. It could also save you from making embarrassing blunders when dealing with birth families, adoptive families, or adoption professionals. Those of us who have been part of the adoption world for over a decade have had to learn the ropes by asking many questions and making mistakes. If you are thinking about adopting, just started the process, or finalizing your first adoption this book could be invaluable to you.

Adoption in the United States would also be valuable to a student at college pursuing a career in the adoption field. It would be a great resource in college and beyond. If you are just beginning your career and want to seem knowledgeable at interviews or with potential clients, then you should read this book as well. Reading this book before dealing with potential clients could help you avoid making insensitive remarks. Making remarks that you may not even realize are insensitive could result in lost clientele.

Each step of the adoption process is thoroughly covered, along with details, pitfalls, and why the step exists. The book covers diversity in adoption, public, international, and domestic adoption, and post adoption. Several appendices in the book cover adoption details of each state in the United States. Some examples are birth records, use of facilitators, time to finalization, and allowable birth mother expenses. There is also an appendix indicating which states can enforce post-adoption contact agreements and which states allow adoption by same sex couples.

There are several references to openness in adoption. They thoroughly cover the positives that result from such a relationship and cite the few pitfalls. I found one statistic particularly interesting. Nearly two-thirds of fully disclosed adoptions did not begin that way. Over time, mediated and confidential adoptions evolved into fully disclosed adoptions based on trust and mutual respect. These families realized that they all wanted what was best for the child.


The book can be ordered through Lyceumbooks.com or by phone at (773) 643-1902.



Photo Credit: Book Cover by Lyceum Books, Inc. Used by Permission from Stephanie Lorenz.