Moving right along in our Transracial Adoption ABCs, we are now at the letter "I".

ICPC - ICPC stands for “Interstate Compact for Placement of Children”, and it is a term often heard in domestic adoptions in the United States. The ICPC is required for and applies to all types of domestic adoption in which a child is moved from one state to another.

The ICPC is paperwork that is handled by the “sending state” (the state the child currently resides in) and the “receiving state” (the state the child will be moving to because of the adoption).

The purpose of the ICPC is to ensure... more

In this post in my Transracial Adoption ABCs series I will look at more from the letter "H".

Homestudy – Homestudy is one of those words that you rarely hear in life before you start looking into adoption. Getting a homestudy completed is one of the first steps on your adoption journey.

So what is a homestudy? I always describe it to people as a book report on your life, that ends with a recommendation for you to adopt a child of a particular age (or age range) and from a specific country or program. It is what agencies, facilitators and sometimes birth parents use to get to know you,... more

On to the letter "H" in our Transracial Adoption ABCs.

Health - The health of the child you are going to adopt is a big concern for many adoptive parents. Often one of the first questions we are asked when we tell someone we are adopting is, “how do you know that the child will be healthy?”

For parents adopting domestically, drug and alcohol exposure is often a concern. For parents adoption internationally, concerns range from malnutrition to minor issues like parasites, lice and scabies (ick, ick, ick),... more

As we continue on with our Transracial Adoption ABCs, we have two more topics under the letter “G”.

G is for Grandparents – Grandparents are often a big part of a family's life and of their adoption. I know families in which the grandparents were so excited about the adoption that they threw big baby showers, helped with the fundraising, joined adoption email groups or traveled with the adoptive parents to another country to get the child.

I also know of families in which the grandparents were very against a transracial adoption, which can be emotionally difficult for the adoptive parents... more

Today I am going to discuss the last topic I have in my Transracial Adoption ABCs under the letter "F".

Foster Care - Foster Care is a type of transracial adoption that is often overlooked for a variety of reasons. There are estimated to be over 100,000 children in the United States that are currently in the foster care system, legally free for adoption and waiting to be adopted, right now.

Children come to be in foster care in the U.S. when they are either abandoned or relinquished to the state by their birth parents, or when they are legally taken from their parents due to neglect,... more

Here are some more topics in our "Transracial Adoption ABCs" from the letter "F".

Food - At first glance, you may not think that "food" would have a whole lot to do with transracial adoption, but it does. (And I am not just talking about all the extra food many adoptive parents find themselves eating when they are stressed out, worried, impatient, excited, etc.!)

The foods that we eat make up a big part of what is familiar in our day to day life. Food can be very comforting. Even just the smells of certain foods can lead to memories and feelings for many people.

So what does... more

More Transracial Adoption ABCs from the letter "F".

Fears - Prospective transracial adoptive parents often have a lot of fears to contend with. There are fears about the child being adopted... What if he isn't healthy? What if he doesn't bond and attach to our family? Will I be able to do a good job raising a chid of another race?

There are fears about the adoption process...What... more

I have a surprising amount of terms/issues/words to discuss in our "Transracial Adoption ABCs" that start with the letter "F". (And sorry about the lack of photo...I am having some technical difficulties tonight!)

Family - Adoption is about family. It is about parents wanting to grow their families, and it is about children who have lost their families. It is about two separate pieces joining together to create a new family.

It is overwhelming to me to think about how many children in this world do not have a family...how... more

More "Transracial Adoption ABCs" from the letter "E"...

Ethics- Ethics must be at the heart of every agency, every program and every adoption. Every time an unethical adoption occurs, it is not only a tragedy for the child, the birth family and the adoptive family involved, but it threatens all adoptions, everywhere.

Many adoption programs have shut down due to the unethical practices of some ruining it for all, and sadly, it is the... more

Our "Transracial Adoption ABCs" continue with the letter "E".

Emotions - Most people know and understand that pregnant women are often extra emotional, but many people do not understand that parents in the process of adopting are often very emotional as well (and have good reason to be!)

Choosing... more