Post Adoption Issues

This section covers what to expect after you adopt a child and offers advice on how to solve many problems before they occur.

Returning to the USA

A child adopted in a foreign country or coming to the United States for adoption must have an immigrant visa. There are three different types of immigrant visas, and the kind your child will need depends on the adoption situation.

Child Development and Adopted Children

This link covers the following topics: 1. What to expect at different ages; 2. The facts of life: where do I come from and how did I get here; 3. Children who are adopted when they are older or who are of a different race; 4. Emotional impact of adoption; and 5. Searching for birth parents.

Explaining Adoption

Adopting parents are frequently conflicted over when and how to explain adoption the adopted child, other children in the family and to friends and relatives.

Adoption and Schools

Discusses if, when, how, and why to talk about adoption with school personnel. Second, it examines some specific educational problems that are common to adopted children and how to advocate for the educational and support services that they might need. Third, it suggests ways to help students, teachers, principals, and other school personnel to become more sensitive to adoption issues.

Parenting Adolescents

Explores the effects of adoption on adolescent development and behavior.

Therapeutic Help for Adopted Children

Needing outside help after adoption is normal, and many adoptive families seek post adoption assistance.

More Therapy Help

Discusses the fact that timely intervention by a professional skilled in adoption issues often can prevent issues common to adoption from becoming more serious problems.

Re-Adopting in the USA

Although re-adoption may not be required, the adopting parents may choose to re-adopt the child for specific reasons, such as to re-name the child or to obtain a state birth certificate.