Adoption-Related Resources
Consider the following resources to help you learn and grow.
Pre-adoption
Ask your agency for resources available to prepare your family. We also recommend these resources from Christian ministries:
- Loving Shepherd’s Adoption Assessment Forms
- Hope for Orphans’ If You Were Mine, 7-part adoption exploration workshop used by hundreds of churches and thousands of families investigating adoption from a biblical and practical perspective.
Group studies
Fellowship and encouragement on the adoption journey are very important. If possible, try finding an older adoptive couple or parents who are ahead of you in their parenting to mentor and encourage your family. Additionally, consider starting a group for couples/moms/dads/prayer & fellowship, etc., so you can build relationships with other like-minded families. Finally, consider reading and/or leading a Created to Connect study along with reading The Connected Child book.
Books
This is not an exhaustive list of books, but here are a few we recommend–
- The Connected Child – Karyn Purvis
- Parenting Is Your Highest Calling: And Eight Other Myths — Leslie Leyland Fields
- Adopted for Life – Russell Moore
- Anatomy of the Soul — Curt Thompson
- Nurturing Adoptions — Deborah Gray
- Attaching in Adoption — Deborah Gray
- The Whole-Brain Child — Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
- The Out-of-Sync Child — Carol Kranowitz
- Wounded Children Healing Homes — Jayne Schooler, Betsy Keefer Smalley, Timothy Callahan
- The Body Keeps the Score – Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
- Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control – Heather T. Forbes
- Orphanology – Tony Merida & Rick Morton
- Parenting the Hurt Child – Keck & Kupecky
- Parenting your Internationally Adopted Child – Patty Cogen
- Thriving as an Adoptive Family – David & Renee Sanford
- Toddler Adoption: The Weaver’s Craft – Mary Hopkins-Best
DVD & Video Training
- Trust-Based Parenting DVD or digital download from the Karyn Purvis Institute
- Empowered to Connect videos
Podcasts
- Adopting Hope by Christianity Today
- The Defender Podcast by Lifeline Children’s Services
- Around the World with the Archibald Project by The Archibald Project
- The Honestly Adoption Podcast by Mike and Kristin Berry
Blogs
- Our team has curated a collection of helpful “Adoption 101” blogs, covering everything from how to choose an agency to dealing with primary and secondary trauma. See the collection.
Conferences & Training Opportunities
Post-Adoption
- Empowered to Connect has an amazing online library covering a wide variety of topics for adoptive and foster parents.
- Wait No More is a ministry of Focus on the Family offering a free post-adoption phone line, 1-800-A-FAMILY
- Show Hope offers medical care grants to help offset healthcare expenses once an adoption has been finalized.
- Lifesong Post-Adoption Care & Counseling Financial Assistance Upon completing your adoption, you may apply for our post-adoption financial assistance, awarding grants and loans to help you access useful resources like counseling, training, trauma care, and neurofeedback.
Adoption Tax Credit Info & Travel Resources
- Becky Wilmoth at Bill’s Tax Service, 501 W. Broadway, Centralia, IL 62801, phone: 618.532.7223 will be glad to answer your questions regarding the Adoption Tax Credit.
- Research information on the Federal Adoption Tax Credit.
- Learn about courses available through Adoption Learning Partners.
- Adoption Airfare – Serving families with adoption airfare discounts for their international adoption travel.
“Our family is forever grateful that God blessed us with the gift of Lifesong being part of our adoption journey. Not only were they extremely easy to work with, but we felt cared for when the adoption process got hard and we truly needed prayer for our family.”
Daniel & Tiffany
Adoptive Parents & Lifesong Matching Grant Recipients
See Their Adoption Journey
The Financial Barrier
- Hesitant to fundraise? Listen in to an adoptive couple’s fundraising journey.
- Apply for adoption grants, loans, and scholarships.
Please also consider these testimonials from Lifesong families who have brought their children home:
- Children need time to heal and adjust after adoption – it isn’t always an easy transition. Read our post related to this.
- Adoption is hard. Parents should be trained adequately both before and after the adoption is completed.
Read our post related to this. - God is ultimately and graciously in control of the details of your story.
Read our post related to this.