Resources

Training . Adoption Attorneys . Adoption Agency . Internet Resources . Recommended Reading


Training

Orientation Class
This class is required for all families to attend in order to learn more about our ministry before they are able to apply. At this class, which is held as needed, families will be able to see the vision, process and mission of this ministry. Families will also have the opportunity to ask questions before they make the decision to apply to move forward with Amaris Adoptions or other facets of Amaris Ministries. At the end of this class, all families will have the option to receive an application if they desire to move forward with our ministry.

If you are interested in attending this required Introduction class, please contact our office to sign-up as pre-registration is required. (Please view the calendar in order to see if there is an Introduction Class scheduled).

Godly Parenting Classes • Adoption and Foster • CPR & First Aid


AdoptionAttorneys

Below is a list of adoption attorneys who work with families from Amaris Ministries.

Tom Storey, Esq.
654 W. Main St.
El Centro, CA 92243
(760) 352-1311
www.AnderholtStorey.com

Timothy J. Blied, Esq.
400 N. Tustin Ave., Suite 290
Santa Ana, CA 92705
(949) 863-0200
www.sbsmlaw.com
www.AdoptingParents.org

Bonnie J. Hiler, Esq.
2131 S. Belle Ave.
Corona, CA 92882
(951) 427-3902

For more listings of adoption attorneys, visit the following websites:
Academy of California Adoption Attorneys
www.acal.org
California directory of adoption attorneys and adoption information.

American Academy of Adoption Attorneys
www.AdoptionAttorneys.org
Nationwide directory of adoption attorneys and adoption information.


Adoption Agency: Another Legal Option

You do not have to work directly with an attorney if you do a modified adoption with an agency, which has some benefits. You can choose any agency, however, the one that Amaris Ministries works most closely with and can recommend is Nightlight Christian Adoptions.

They will adjust their typical rates to complete your adoption if you come to them already matched with a birthmother. They provide a variety of adoption services including the Snowflake Embryo Adoption Program.

Nightlight Christian Adoptions
4430 E. Miraloma Ave, Suite B
Anaheim Hills, CA 92807
(714) 693-5437
www.nightlight.org


Internet Resources

TCU INSTITUTE FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Child.TCU.edu
A variety of resources and information to help with parenting “kids from hard places."



EMPOWERED TO CONNECT
www.EmpoweredToConnect.org
Videos, audio, articles on various aspects of adoption are available for free download.




For Families adopting from Hague Convention countries, the United States requires families to complete a minimum of ten hours of Hague-approved adoption training. These training requirements can be fulfilled primarily through reading books or through the completion of online courses.

The following are some providers of Hague-approved adoption education:

Adoption Learning Partners
www.AdoptionLearningPartners.org

Heart of Matter Seminars
www.HeartOfMatterSeminars.com

National Council for Adoption
www.HagueAdoption.org

Adoption Education, LLC
www.AdoptEducation.com


The following are other Internet resources for adoption:

www.adopting.com
List of adoption related websites, list services, photo listings, etc.

www.adopting.org
Comprehensive information for all members of the adoption triad.

www.adoption.org
A volunteer operated information resource for the adoption community.

www.AdoptionInstitute.org
Their mission is to improve the quality of information about adoption, to enhance the understanding and perception of adoption and to advance adoption policy and practice.

www.AdoptiveFamiliesMagazine.com
Magazine for adoptive parents.

National Adoption Information Clearinghouse
www.calib.com/naic
Fact sheets, resource listings and information

Joint Council on International Children’s Services
www.jcics.org
International adoption agencies and information.

North American Council on Adoptable Children
www.nacac.org
Parent support groups and subsidy information.

Adoption Ring
www.plumsite.com.adoptionring
Links to 400 adoption sites.

www.RainbowKids.com
International adoption newsletter

U.S. State Department Office of Children’s Issues
www.travel.state.gov/adopt.html
Official information on international adoption programs.

California Department of Social Services, Children and Family Services Division
www.ChildsWorld.org

Institute for Children
www.ForChildren.org
Their mission is to reshape foster care and adoption in America so that every child will have the chance to grow up in a loving, permanent family.

Cord Blood Banking
www.cordbloodbanking.com
Information on the costs of private and public cord blood banking.

www.MiracleOfAdoption.com
Includes expression cards, announcements and adoption gifts.



Recommended Reading
Below is a list of some of the many wonderful books out there to help you on your journey through adoption.

Adoption in GeneralSaving MemoriesInfertility
Adoption Books for ChildrenAdoption Books for Teenagers and Pre-Teens


Adoption in General

The Adoption Process . Open Adoption . Adopting Special Needs Children
Talking to your Adopted Children . International / Transracial Adoption


Adoption Awareness: A Guide for Teachers, Counselors, Nurses and Caring Others
by Jeanne Warren Lindsay and Catherine Paschal Monserrat

Parenting Adopted Adolescents: Understanding and Appreciating Their Journeys”
by Gregory C Keck and L.G. Mansfield

Toddler Adoption: The Weaver’s Craft
by Mary Hopkins-Best

The Whole Life Adoption Book: Realistic Advice for Building a Healthy Adoptive Family”
by Jayne Schooler and Thomas Atwood

Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control”
by Heather T. Forbes and B. Bryan Post

The Connected Child
by Karyn B Purvis and David R. Cross, Wendy L. Sunshine

Attaching in Adoption” by Deborah Gray

Journeys After Adoption: Understanding Lifelong Issues
by Jayne Schooler

Before You Were Mine: Discovering Your Adopted Child's Lifestory
by Susan TeBos and Carissa Woodwyk

Parenting from the Inside Out” by D. Siegel and M. Hartzell

Adoption: A Handful of Hope” by Suzanne Arms

Family Bonds: Adoption and the Politics of Parenting
by Elizabeth Bartholet

Adopting for Good” by Jorie Kincaid

Being Adopted: The Lifelong Search for Self
by David M. Brodzinsky, Marshall D. Schechter and Robin Marantz Henig

Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew
by Sherrie Eldridge

Lost and Found, The Adoption Experience
by Betty Jean Lifton

Raising Adopted Children, A Manual for Adoptive Parents
by Lois Ruskai Melina

Adoption Wisdom: A Guide to the Issues and Feelings of Adoption
by Marlou Russell, PhD

Real Parents, Real Children: Parenting the Adopted Child
by Holly van Gulden and Lisa M. Bartels-Rabb

Adoption Without Fear” by James Gritter

Secret Thoughts of an Adoptive Mother” by Jana Wolff

Breastfeeding the Adopted Baby” by Debra Stewart Peterson

The Adoption Process
Fast Track Adoption: The Faster, Safer Way to Adopt a Baby
by Susan Burns

Reaching Out: The Guide to Writing a Terrific Dear Birthmother Letter
by Nelson Handel

Dear Birthmother: Thank You For Our Baby” by Kathleen Silber and Phyllis Speedlin

Talking to your Adopted Children
Telling the Truth to Your Adopted or Foster Child: Making Sense of the Past”
by Betsy Keefer and Jayne Schooler

Talking To Your Child About Adoption
by Patricia Martinez Dorner, M.A., L.P.C.

Talking With Young Children About Adoption
by Mary Watkins, PhD and Susan Fisher, M.D.

Open Adoption
Open Adoption: A Caring Option
by Jeanne Warren Lindsay

The Open Adoption Experience
by Lois Ruskai Melina and Sharon Kaplan Roszia

The Adoption Triangle: Sealed or Open Records
by Arthur D. Sorosky, Annette Baran and Reuben Pannor

A Letter to Adoptive Parents…On Open Adoption
by Randolph W. Severson, PhD

The Spirit of Open Adoption” by James L. Gritter

Adopting Special Needs Children
Wounded Children, Healing Homes: How Traumatized Children Impact Adoptive and Foster Families”
by Jayne Schooler

Nurturing Adoptions: Creating Resilience After Neglect and Trauma”
by Deborah Gray

Adopting the Hurt Child: Hope for Families with Special Needs Kids
by Gregory C. Keck, PhD and Regina M. Kupecky LSW

Parenting the Hurt Child: Helping Adoptive Families Heal and Grow
by Gregory C. Keck, PhD and Regina M. Kupecky LSW

The Out-of-Sync Child” by Carol Kranowitz

The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun: Activities for Kids with Sensory Processing Disorders
by Carol Kranowitz

International / Transracial Adoption
With Eyes Wide Open: A Workbook for Parents Adopting International Children”
by Margi Miller and Nancy Ward

Inside Transracial Adoption
by Gail Steinberg and Beth Hall

Are Those Kids Yours? American Families with Children Adopted from Other Countries
by Cheri Register, PhD

How To Adopt Internationally: A Guide for Agency-Directed and Independent Adoptions
by Jean Nelson-Ericksen and Heino Ericksen

International Adoption: Challenges and Opportunities
by Thais Tepper, Lois Hannon and Dorothy Sandstrom

Does Anybody Else Look Like Me: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Multiracial Children
by Donna Jackson Nakazawa

Black Baby White Hands: A View From the Crib
by Jaiya John

Loving Across the Color Line: A White Adoptive Mother Learns About Race
by Sharon E. Rush

Dim Sum, Bagels and Grits: A Sourcebook for Multicultural Families
by Myra Alperson

In Their Own Voices: Transracial Adoptees Tell Their Stories
by Rita J. Simon and Rhonda M. Roorda


Saving Memories

Our Chosen Child: How You Came To Us and The Growing Up Years
by Judith Levy

A Birthparent’s Book of Memories
by Brenda Romanchik

Lifebooks: Creating a Treasure for the Adopted Child
by Beth O’Malley

International Adoption Travel Journal
by Mary E. Petertyl

Adoption Lifebook: A Bridge to Your Child’s Beginnings
by Cindy Probst

The Complete Lifebook Workbook” by Jim Mooney, MSW

This is Me! Memories to Gather and Keep
by Gloria Finkbeiner


Infertility

The Fertility Handbook” by Judith Alsofrom Fenton

The Wedded Unmother” by Kaye Halverson

Adopting After Infertility” by Patricia Irwin Johnston

Taking Charge of Infertility” by Patricia Irwin Johnston

Understanding, A Guide to Impaired Fertility for Family and Friends
by Patricia Irwin Johnston

The Miracle Seekers, An Anthology of Infertility
by Mary Martin Mason

Infertility: A Guide for the Childless Couple
by Barbara Eck Menning


Adoption Books for Children

All About Me
by Lynn Burwash and Cie McMullin

The Mulberry Bird: Story of an Adoption
by Anne Braff Brodzinsky

Molly” by Joseph Bonsall

How I was Adopted: Samantha’s Story
by Joanna Cole

Tell Me Again the Night I Was Born
by Jamie Lee Curtis

Who Am I? And Other Questions of Adopted Kids
by Charlene Giannetti

Adoption is for Always” by Linda Wolvoord Girard

Families” by Meredith Tax

How It Feels To Be Adopted” by Jill Krementz

Did My First Mother Love Me? A Story for an Adopted Child
by Kathryn Ann Miller

Color Me Loved” by Carolyn Owens

How Babies and Families are Made (There is More Than One Way!)
by Patricia Schaffer

Why Am I Different” by Norma Simon

The Adopted One” by Sara Bonnett Stein

The Chosen Baby” by Valentina Wasson

My Special Someone” by Brittany and Sherry Kyle

A Blessing From Above” by Patti Henderson

Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch

A is For Adopted” by Eileen Tucker Cosby

Anne of Green Gables” by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Amy Angel Goes Home: A Heavenly Tale of Adoption
by Kathleen Lathrop Lockwood

A Koala for Katie” by Jonathan London

Adoption Stories for Young Children” by Randall B. Hicks

The Day We Met You” by Phoebe Koehler

All About Adoption: How Families Are Made and How Kids Feel About It
by Marc Nemiroff, PhD and Jane Annunziata, PhD

We Wanted You” by Liz Rosenberg

Danielle, Where Are You?” by Cindy Roberts

Lucy’s Family Tree” by Karen Halvorsen Schreck

Twice Upon a Time: Born and Adopted” by Eleanora Patterson

We See the Moon” by Carrie A. Kitze

Families Are Forever” by Craig Shemin

Rosie’s Family: An Adoption Story” by Lori Rosove

One Wonderful You” by Francie Portnoy

W.I.S.E. Up Powerbook” by Marilyn Schoettle, MA

How I Was Adopted” by Joanna Cole

Mommy, Did I Grow in Your Tummy? Where Some Babies Come From
by Elaine R. Gordon, PhD

Mr. Rogers – Let’s Talk About It: Adoption
by Fred Rogers

Oliver” by Lois Wickstrom

Never Never Never Will She Stop Loving You
by Jolene Durrant

Our Twitchy” by Kes Gray and Mary McQuillan

Beginnings: How Families Come to Be” by Virginia Kroll

We’re Different, We’re the Same” by Bobbi Jane Kates

Seeds of Love: For Brothers and Sisters of International Adoption
by Mary Petertyl

Happy Adoption Day!” by John McCutcheon

Things Little Kids Need to Know” by Susan Uhlig

I’m Brown and My Sister Isn’t” by Robbie O’Shea

Anthony’s Surprise” by Roz Grace

A Mother for Choco” by Keiko Kasza

Is That Your Sister” by Catherine and Sherry Bunin


Adoption Books for Teenagers and Pre-Teens

Where are My Birth Parents? A Guide for Teenage Adoptees
by Karen Gravelle and Susan Fisher

Why Didn’t She Keep Me? Answers to the Questions of Every Adopted Child
by Barbara Burlingham-Brown

The Real Me: A Teen Lifebook for Young Adults in Foster Care or Adoption
by Theresa L. McCoy, BSW and Donna Barnes

For When I’m Famous: A Teen Foster/Adoption Lifebook"
by Beth O’Malley

The Blending of Foster and Adopted Children into the Family
by Heather Lehr Wagner

How It Feels To Be Adopted” by Jill Krementz

Getting Ready for Adoption” by Theresa L. McCoy, BSW

The Face in the Mirror: Teenagers and Adoption” by Marion Crook