I need help with my adopted child. What resources are available to me in my state?

Publication Date: July 18, 2013
Current as of:

Answer

Postadoption services—which are provided after a child is placed for adoption or after adoption finalization—are designed to support adoptive families and may help reduce the likelihood of adoption disruption or dissolution. Since adoption is governed by state law and policy, the type of postadoption services available to adoptive families varies from state to state. Child Welfare Information Gateway, a service of the Children's Bureau, provides state-by-state information about the types of services available to families in its adoption assistance database .

Information Gateway also provides detailed information about state postadoption assistance programs in its Postadoption and Permanency Support Services resource list.

Respite care, an option to adoptive families when they need short-term relief, is an important postadoption service. The ARCH National Respite Locator Service highlights state respite programs and supports.

Therapy can also help adoptive families address challenges that may arise at different phases of life. The Information Gateway factsheet Finding and Working With Adoption-Competent Therapists provides suggestions for finding an adoption-competent therapist and offers information about the types of therapy that can help adopted children and their families.

Finally, support groups facilitate an understanding of common issues and provide the opportunity to share problem-solving strategies. Information Gateway's National Adoption & Foster Care Directory allows users to search by state for support groups for foster and adoptive parents, including prospective resource families.

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