Knowledge is power and information is power. So information that actually makes one more knowledgeable should be a double bonus. Here is a link to a pretty snazzy site that I believe will fit the bill. It is full of resources on all things child welfare related from abuse and neglect, to foster care, to adoption. The information is straightforward and easily understood, clearly written with the end use consumer (most likely a layperson) in mind. I have written before that one can become easily overhwlmed by the information that is available on the internet about adoption. However, this Child Welfare Information Gateway site seems to offer information in manageable chunks that can be easily processed.

There is a National Adoption Directory that according to the site, "Includes State-by-State contact information for a variety of adoption-related organizations and services including public and licensed private adoption agencies, support groups, State reunion registries, and more." The Adoption link on the site itself offers a wealth of information about the adoption process, types of adoption, preparing and transitioning children into permanent families, supporting birthfamilies, and postadoption services, search and reunion.

There is a very useful link for adoption statistics that includes data on important trends such as voluntary relinquishment for adoption, numbers of persons seeking to adopt, numbers of children adopted, international adoption trends, adoption disruption and dissolution. Finally, there is a roster of important numbers and website addresses for individuals seeking help or assistance regarding child welfare matters including child abuse, domestic violence, children home alone, runaway youth, respite for caregivers, and even mediation/conflict resolution.

I found this site to be particularly easy to navigate and user friendly, always a plus in my book when searching for practical resources about child welfare and adoption.