Search for: within: Child Safety Services Child Safety Practice Manual Department of Communities

Intercountry adoptive parent education

• Module 1 - Introduction
  • What is adoption?
  • Who is involved in the adoption process?
  • The adoption process
  • Adoption Services Queensland
  • Suggested reading
• Module 2 - The needs of overseas children requiring permanent adoptive placements in Queensland
  • Overseas country information
  • Are you suited to intercountry adoption?
  • Motivation to adopt
  • Issues and challenges faced by adoptive parents
  • Placement proposals
  • Building resilience with your adopted child
  • Suggested reading
• Module 3 - Child development
  • Understanding child development
  • Factors that impact on child development
  • A child's understanding of adoption
  • Suggested reading
• Module 4 - Attachment and bonding
  • Attachment theory
  • What is attachment and bonding?
  • Types of attachment
  • Attachment behaviour
  • Signs of healthy attachment and bonding
  • Attachment disorder
  • Impact of attachment on adoptive parenting
  • The arousal-relaxation cycle
  • Developing an attachment with your child
  • Suggested reading
• Module 5 - Separation, grief and loss
  • Definition of loss and grief
  • The impact of loss on adoptive parents
  • The impact of loss on adopted children
  • Effects and strategies for dealing with a child's loss
  • Understanding the impact of loss on an adopted child
  • The impact of loss on birth parents
  • The grief process
  • Suggested reading
• Module 6 - Identity and culture
  • Your feelings about ethnic background and culture
  • The impact of adoption on your family
  • Definition of ethnicity, culture and identity
  • Addressing cultural identity
  • The cultural heritage plan
  • Barriers to developing a child's cultural identity
  • A child's racial awareness
  • Stages of development of racial identity
  • Combating racism
  • Telling your child they are adopted
  • The adoptive family life cycle
  • Suggested reading
• Module 7 - Preparing for assessment
  • Departmental assessment considerations
  • Assessing a couple's suitability
  • Meeting the assessment criteria
  • The assessment process
  • Placement considerations
  • Assessors - their perspective
  • Establishing a family tree and Ecomap
  • Suggested reading
• Module 8 - Placement information
  • Medical assessment of children adopted from overseas
  • Lodging an application with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship
  • Migration Health Check
  • Naming your child
  • Travel arrangements
  • Arrival in Australia
  • Queensland Birth Certificate
  • Australian Citizenship
  • Adoptive parent support groups
  • Life Story Book
  • Suggested reading
• Module 9 - General reading
• Family profile
  • My family profile
• Printable version
• Contacts

Suggested reading

• References
• Suggested reading

---

References

• Argent, H. (Ed). (2003). Models of adoption support: what works and what doesn't. London: British Association of Adoption and Fostering.
• Armstrong, S. and Slaytor, P. (Eds.). (2001). The colour of difference: journey's in transracial adoption. Sydney: The Federation Press.
• Barker, S. (1999). Making good assessments: a practical resources guide. London: British Association for Adoption and Fostering.
• Brodzinsky, D. M., Schechter, M. D. and Marantz, R. (1992). Being adopted: the lifelong search for self. United States of America: Anchor Books.
• Feast, J. and Philpot, T. (2003). Searching questions: identity, origins and adoption. London: British Association of Adoption and Fostering.
• Griffen, M. (2002). Talk given by Mary Griffen at the Intercountry Adoption Forum held on 19 October 2002. Post Adoption Resource Centre, Benevolent Society.
• Keefer, B. and Schooler, J. E. (2000). Telling the truth to your adopted or foster child. United States of America: Bergin and Garvey.
• Schooler, J. E. (1993). Realistic advice for building a health adoptive family: the whole life adoption book. United States of America: Pinon Press.
• Vonk, M. E. (2001). Cultural competence for transracial adoptive parents. Social Work, vol. 46, iss. 3, 246-256.

Top of page

Suggested reading

• Keefer, B. and Schooler, J. E. (2000). Telling the truth to your adopted or foster child. United States of America: Bergin and Garvey.
• Schoettle, M. (2000). W.I.S.E. up! Powerbook. United States of America: The Center for Adoption and Education Inc.
• Wright, M. A. (2000). I'm chocolate, you're vanilla: raising healthy black and bi-racial children in a race-conscious world. United States of America: Jossey-Bass

Top of page

Last updated

19 October 2007