Group Orientation Research Paper

Adoptive Families are special; they have a desire to grow their families by reaching out to children that need homes. These families face many unique challenges, but also receive many rewards, associated with the decision to adopt. These challenges continue for many families, through the process of adoption, legal finalization, and for many years post-adoption. The challenges are different in many ways from those faced by biological parents. Adoptive parents not only face the normal challenges faced from raising a child, but also the psychological issues of the child/ren adopted. Some children placed for adoption have social, psychological, or physical problems that many adoptive families may not be able to address. Previous research has shown an association between post adoption services and successful adoptive placements. “Post adoption services often respond to the effects that separation, loss, and trauma can have on children and youth who have been adopted. They can facilitate adjustment processes; promote child, youth, and family well-being; and support family preservation” (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2012). It is because of these issues, and many others, that placement agency must consider when providing wrap around services for families.

Support groups is a form of a therapeutic tool to comfort the families through any tough times. Being a foster or adoptive parent is not always easy you’re dealing with someone else child that could be a child that has been through a traumatic situation. Even with treatment of, the family and children may not be able to remain in the home. Out-of-home care can be foster care or some type of group or residential setting. Ideally, if substitute care becomes necessary. There can be problems with foster care “often the court orders that children be placed in foster care for their protection and the parents are forced to comply.” (Understanding child abuse and Neglect pg.316). Forcing biological parents to comply with having to allow their child to go in to foster care until their case is looked at by the courts to determine, if the environment is safe for the child to go back into can lead to more of a problem for

Design/Methodology: This exploratory design hopes to attain valuable insight on what types of post adoption services are available to families. This design is qualitative as it seeks to explore the types of services that are offered and if any have a positive influence in providing the necessary support to assist in the preservation of adoptive families. It is hoped that this results can provide a deeper understanding of which post adoption services are vital in aiding new adoptive parents to safeguard their forever family against possible challenges that lie ahead. Sampling: This study will utilize non probability convenience and purposive sampling as current or former foster parents of the Los Angeles child welfare system will be recruited through various post adoption service agencies. Eligible participants are individuals who have received post adoption services and finalized adoption with at least one child. According to Acharya et al. (2013), convenience and purposive sampling is beneficial when participation of individuals is needed to meet a certain criteria; individuals will also be easily located for the study. Two hundred former consumers of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, Post Adoption Services Unit (PAS) department will be invited to participate in the study via U.S. mail. The PAS unit offers post adoption services such as referrals and counseling to families to avoid family dissolutions which will return the child in the child

In the last four decades, the concept of the American family has undergone a radical transformation, reflecting society 's growing openness. Among all segments of society, there is a greater acceptance of a variety of family structures from single parenting to blended families to same sex parenting of children. The introduction of openness into the process of adoption offers new opportunities for children in need of a parent or parents and prospective parents wishing to create or expand their families. Meeting the requirements to become eligible to adopt no longer means being constrained by the conventions of an earlier generation.

“When children enter foster care, the initial plan is for children to return to live with their families once they have adequately resolved the problems that made their children unsafe and made foster care necessary.” “While a little more than half of children who enter care return home to their birth families, the rest will need other plans to end the temporary placement of foster care.” (childrensaidsociety.org) Even with foster care some children hope to find a permanent family to live with but according to research, today adoption is viewed as a last resort, even for couples with fertility problems. (Reed, Leslie,) Today people have fears of bonding with the child, unknown health issues and behavioral issues. (Patricelli, Kathryn). In the future adoption will revolve around securing information with international adoption, getting more access to original birth certificates and other legal

What do Babe Ruth, Marilyn Monroe, John Lennon, and Steve Jobs have in common? That’s right, they were all adopted. Babe Ruth was placed in an orphanage at seven years old; Marilyn Monroe spent much of her childhood in foster care, while John Lennon’s mother was not able to care for him after his dad went missing on a naval ship. Steve Jobs was the product of an unapproved relationship, so he was put up for adoption at birth. All of these well-known people struggled through the process of adoption, as well as many others.

The problems faced by birth mothers could be endless. The adoption process involves many important individuals; the adoptive parents, adoption counselor, the child, and the birth parents. The population of birth mothers have changed over the years. According to Policy and Practice, there has been significant increase on foreign and domestic adoption over the years (Domestic, intercountry adoptions increase. 2007). Therefore, the population of birth mothers have increased. With that said, the ages of birth mothers can vary from very young to older women who are still able to conceive. However, most birth mothers are younger, under the age of twenty-one. The Adoption Board announced in 2004 that research in the United States proclaim that placing a child for adoption is infinitely more common especially if they lack resources and support necessary to care for a child (Child Adoption: Trends and Policies. (2009).

Adopted children experience lack of emotional bonding in the United States. There are many reasons that contribute to lack of attachment. One reason is biological parental neglect that the child 's experience through the early years of life. In addition, when children live in foster homes they experience many changes throughout their lives. This change involved a change of residence, supervisor’s rules and teachers. Also, may infants have been maltreated or abused while living in foster homes. All of these changes affect the child’s life because of the multiple physical and emotional changes that the children has experienced while living in foster homes.

Based on statistics gathered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services Children's Bureau, approximately 46,000 children found homes through the foster care system last year alone (Cumpston, 8b). It is hard to imagine that there is this unbelievable number of children adopted in just one year, and the process is still different for every family who goes through it. Only after much research, can one conclude that while handling an adoption, a process known as open adoption is the most beneficial for everyone alike.

Some may say that “empowering initiatives at the individual level are supports and sustained only by opening pathways to power sources in social, economic, and institutional structures” (St. Ambrose University). Although the empowerment-based model can be seen throughout most of the adoption process, it is most evident once a child has been placed in a home with the adoptive family. During the post-placement visits, the adoption counselor is going to the adoptive family’s home to check-in and see how things are going. If the adjustment to having a new child in the home is not going well, the adoption counselor will empower the adoptive family to continue making progress on the adjustment. Depending on the situation, empowering an adoptive family might consist of receiving a referral for parenting

The process of adoption and overall experience does provide benefits not only for the child, but as well the parents. Not only is adopting providing a nurturing home for the child, but it is also bringing joy into the child’s lives especially those that are coming from environments that were harming the child either physically and/or

Many children long for a forever family because they are not able to be reunited with their birth parents. Being an adoptive parent can change a child 's life forever, as well as bring new joy and fulfillment to your family. Relatives, families and friends are often the best place for children who have been removed from their birth parents. These kinship caregivers can give children the comforts of a home they deserve. Youth must be involved in the process and must have input. Many youth do want to be adopted, even if they initially say no. Youth need to be involved in recruitment efforts. Youth need to be able to identify persons with whom they feel they have connections. Youth need to work with professionals who understand them and enjoy working with them.

Previously, I thought that adoption was easy. This course has taught me that it is not as simple as it seems, and there are many different issues that need to be considered. Adoption is an amazing gift for couples who are unable to have children. There are many problems that couples face when they cannot conceive. It is heart-wrenching for couples who need to endure years of trying and hoping, only to see their efforts fail or end in miscarriages. Thankfully, there is a way for these childless couples to become parents through adoption. “There are approximately 1.5 million adoptees under the age of 18 years in the United States, accounting for just over 2% of the population” (Nickman et al., 2005). Though we may take fertility for granted,

According to the NASW Code of Ethics (2008), social workers should maintain the confidentiality of the client’s information (transmitted to other parties through computers, electronic mail, telephones, and other electric or computer technology). It is important not to disclose any identifying information about the client. They should transfer and discard the clients’ records to protect the clients’ confidentiality and should not disclose any identifying information when discussing clients for training or teaching purposes unless the client has consented to the exposure of confidential information (NASW Code of Ethics, 2008).

There is no doubt that the idea of adoption has been a controversial topic for a very long time. The practice of adoption dates all the way back to ancient times in Rome, however this form of adoption was used for children to be slaves, rather than for the overall “welfare” of a child. These ideas have expanded over a long period of time and today, a child’s well-being is typically the concentration for adoption. Adoption is a way for parents to either create, or further build a family. Over time, however, the parents of an adopted child must take into account the effects of the child’s overall mental health and well-being. These effects can be positive or negative when looking at the condition of the child’s living situation, their background, and their overall relationship with the adoptee’s parents.