Adoption-Related Resources
Consider the following resources to help you learn and grow.
Pre-adoption
Ask your adoption agency for resources available to prepare your family.
- Adoption Policies Across Canada by Cardus – an overview of government benefits to adoptive families at a federal and provincial/territorial level
- Adopt a Child from Abroad – information from the Government of Canada
- Canada Adopts – helping expectant moms/parents considering adoption meet prospective adoptive parents
- Lifesong Adoption Financial Assistance – (COMING SOON) After you complete your homestudy and before you bring your child home, you may apply for Lifesong Canada’s pre-adoption financial assistance which awards grants to alleviate some of the costs of your adoption.
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
- Toddler Adoption: The Weaver’s Craft – Mary Hopkins-Best
- 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
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
- Called to Love podcast by Summer Colbert
- Christian Adoption Coaching podcast
- Foster Fathers podcast
- Think Orphan podcast
- Around the World with the Archibald Project podcast
- The Resilient Caregiver podcast
- Empowered to Connect podcast
- The Forgotten Initiative podcast
- Justice & The Inner Life podcast (CAFO)
Conferences
- Hope for the Journey Conference (USA)
- Replanted Conference in BC
- Real Encouragement Conference (USA)
Post-Adoption
- Chosen helps children, youth, and families prevent and heal trauma from maltreatment through healthy relational connections.
- Empowered to Connect has an amazing online library covering a wide variety of topics for adoptive and foster parents.
- Wait to Belong is a ministry of Focus on the Family for adoptive families
- Lifesong Post-Adoption Care & Counseling Financial Assistance – (COMING SOON) Upon completing your adoption, you may apply for our post-adoption financial assistance, awarding grants to help you access useful resources like counseling, training, trauma care, and neurofeedback.
Adoption Travel Info & Additional Resources
- Learn about courses available through Adoption Learning Partners.
- Adoption Airfare – Serving families with adoption airfare discounts for their international adoption travel.
“Thank you for being such an important part of our story. Your contributions allowed us to be obedient to God’s calling, and this is something we will always be grateful for.
Corey & Holly
Adoptive Parents & Lifesong Matching Grant Recipients