Books for Professionals

A few really good books for adoption professionals--more to come!

Nurturing Adoptions: Creating Resilience after Neglect and Trauma by Deborah D. Gray
(2007) Deborah’s newest book has done so much of the leg work for those of us who work in adoptions and want to know the latest research, how to interpret it and how to use it to help children and families. Deborah provides easy to follow guide for caseworkers, teachers, therapists, parents, child welfare workers and mental health workers.

Toddler Adoption: The Weaver’s Craft by Mary Hopkins-Best (1997) Discusses the precious gifts and consuming frustrations of parenting toddlers. After reading Toddler Adoption, you will feel more prepared and have a resource in which to turn.

Being Adopted: The Lifelong Search for Self by David M. Brodzinsky, Ph.D.; Marshall D. Schechter, MD & Robin Marantz Henig (1992) I recommend this book often. It can benefit parents and professionals. It overlays potential adoption tasks on Erik Erickson’s model of developmental tasks. On the down side this is an older book and I find some of the language a bit archaic.

Attaching in Adoption: Practical Tools for Today’s Parents by Deborah D. Gray (2002) A classic in adoption and trauma work. If you work with children who have experienced early loss and trauma, you need to read this book. Great book to to recommend to families.

A Child’s Journey through Placement by Vera Falberg MD (1992) A foundational book for professionals that work with children in foster care. A must.

Children’s Adjustment to Adoption: Developmental and Clinical Issues by Anne Brodzinsky, Daniel Smith, David Brodzinsky (1998) An important, brief book that summarizes research on adoption issues such as; special needs adoption, open adoption, trans-racial adoption, inter-country adoption, clinical and treatment strategies.