Navigating School Systems with Adopted Children

- By Julia K. Porter, PhD

When my husband and I were adopting our daughter, school seemed far off, but even before we were placed with an infant, we had to think about what we would do when she was school aged as this was very important to birth parents. However, this is important to start to talk about when adopting… (Read More)

Placing My Child for Adoption: An Act of Love and Hope

- By Jess Alanis

If you are considering placing your baby or child for adoption, it is important that you start off by speaking to a social worker, adoption agency, or other adoption professional. It is important that you know your rights as a birth mother or birth father and that as a birth parent, you are making the… (Read More)

Adoption and Vaccinations in Wisconsin: What you Need to Know

- By Julia K. Porter, PhD

When you adopt a child, it is important that you work with a pediatrician, like any other parent, to schedule your child for their appointments and vaccinations. Though vaccination schedules may vary, as a parent by adoption, your social worker and/or adoption agency may remind you to do what is in the best interest of… (Read More)

Talking to adopted children about racism

- By Julia K. Porter, PhD

  Though it is in my opinion that every child should be talked to about racism, it can be increasingly more important to talk to adopted children–particularly those who are in a transracial family–about racism, and to keep the conversation going throughout their teen and early adult years. Not only does it help children to… (Read More)

LGBTQ+ Adoption

- By Julia K. Porter, PhD

  June is traditionally Pride Month in not only the United States, but around the world. This is something that is often celebrated in the adoption community as well and provides the opportunity to discuss not only same sex adoptions, but the obstacles that can occur.  As of the publication of this article, same sex… (Read More)

Foster Care Adoption

- By Julia K. Porter, PhD

  May marks Foster Care Awareness month, which according to childwelfare.gov was created to “raise awareness of issues related to foster care and acknowledge the parents, family members, foster parents, child welfare and related professionals, mentors, policy makers, and other members of the community who help children and youth in foster care find permanent homes… (Read More)

Is it possible to give back an adopted child?

- By Julia K. Porter, PhD

  When adoption is discussed, it usually isn’t assumed that those seeking to become parents through adoption would entertain the idea of attempting to reverse that adoption. However, it does happen. Though it is a possibility, The Atlantic notes that “between 1 and 5 percent of U.S. adoptions get legally dissolved” yearly, which is a… (Read More)

Can a Birth Parent Get Paid for Making an Adoption Plan for Their Baby?

- By Julia K. Porter, PhD

  In no instance is payment for an adoption ever legal. In fact, if a birth parent is told that they will receive compensation for making an adoption plan for their baby, they are probably dealing with someone who is not truly an adoption professional. Getting paid for giving someone your child is human trafficking… (Read More)

When Is it Too Late to Choose Adoption?

- By Julia K. Porter, PhD

  Choosing to make an adoption plan for your child can be a difficult decision and you might not be prepared to make that decision right at birth. If you’re seeking to adopt, you may also wonder at what age is “too late” to adopt a child.  Making an Adoption Plan for Your Child It… (Read More)

Do adoptive parents choose the child they want to adopt?

- By Julia K. Porter, PhD

Though adoption is a choice, like any other parenting choice, the concept of “choosing a specific child” to adopt is not how it works in the United States. Until the 1850s, children weren’t protected by adoption and we know the terrible stories of people “choosing” children to work for them, etc. as opposed to entering… (Read More)