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Adoption Resources
*** This Guide is No Longer Being Actively Maintained ***
Adoption is a court action in which an adult assumes legal and other parental responsibilities for a person, usually a minor. There are many types of adoption processes, adoptee children and adoptive parents (see Definitions). Legal requirements for all these categories can vary by agency, state and country.
This pathfinder is a guide to finding adoption resources, such as books, directories, videos and Web sites, in OCPL branch and suburban libraries. While it includes some titles, its purpose is more to show the library user where and how to search for relevant information.
Please Choose from the Following:
Definitions
Books
Databases
Websites
Local Resources
Related Pathfinders
Definitions
An agency adoption occurs through an organization, usually licensed by the State. Agencies may be public or private, secular or religious, for profit or non-profit. An independent adoption is facilitated by an intermediary such as a lawyer or doctor.
In a foster adoption, a child whose birth parents' rights have not yet been terminated or whose birth parents are appealing the court's decision is placed with foster parents who agree to adopt the child if parental rights are terminated.
International or intercountry adoption of children from other countries may also be called multiethnic or multicultural adoption. Transracial adoption refers to parents of one race adopting a child of another race.
A traditional or closed adoption typically involves adoption of a domestic infant in which parental records are confidential. An open adoption is one that involves ongoing contact between birth and adoptive families, including visits, while a semi-open adoption covers all variations of contact and information exchange.
Waiting children are those in the public child welfare system who cannot return to their birth homes and need permanent families. Often they are special needs children whose emotional, mental or physical disorders, age, race, membership in a sibling group, history of abuse, or other factors contribute to a lengthy stay in foster care.
Books
Here are some useful Subject Headings to search for materials:
Adopted children – Family relationships: Bonding, attaching, parenting
Adoption: Covers a range of topics and leads to materials for children and adults. Check the “See Also” references for more focused topics.
Adoption – Psychological aspects
Adoption – United States: Similar to Adoption, but no children’s materials.
Adoption – United States – Case studies
Adoption – United States – Handbooks, manuals, etc.
Adoption – United States – Psychological aspects
Browse this call number: 362.734
Finding books, directories and videos
When you visit your library, most nonfiction materials about adoption can be found by browsing in the bookshelves in the call number 362.734, whether in adult, juvenile or reference collections.
You can also “browse” the OCPL catalog for titles.
On the Search screen, choose SUBJECT and type adopt*
Central Library in downtown Syracuse has the largest collection of materials about adoption. However, you can request any item in the catalog to be sent to any library in the OCPL system for convenient pick up.
Databases
For articles about Adoption, see OCPL’s Online Databases. Here you can access magazine and journal articles, newspapers, and reference books 24 hours a day using your OCPL library card.
For in-library use of the online databases, please see a librarian.
Websites
Adoption Web sites offer many comprehensive portals of both general and focused information.
Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute
National Adoption Information Clearinghouse
Local Resources
Onondaga County
Dept. of Social Services
Child Protective Services
421 Montgomery St.
Syracuse, NY 13202
435-2884
Community Services Online
1. In “ Find Services by Word or Phrase,” type “adoption” and click “GO”
2. Fill out specifications, or leave them all empty and click on “Continue”
3. Click on topics of interest to find local service providers
Human Service Directory for Syracuse/Onondaga County
Adoptive Family Network
Support and advocacy for adoptive families
Terry Hopkins
458-7379
E-mail: tbhopkins@att.net
Dunbar Center Family Services
1453 S. State St.
Syracuse, NY 13202
476-4269
Salvation Army Hearts & Homes
479-1324 or
1-866-324-1324
New York State
The Adoption Album:
Our Children, Our Families, by NYS Office of Children & Family Services.
Updated biweekly.
Photolisting of all New York children waiting to be adopted.
Central reference and online.
NYS Office of Children & Family Services adoption services
NYS Citizens’ Coalition for Children, Inc.
Advocacy for improvements.
Related Pathfinders
Pathfinder to International Adoption
Last updated: June 26, 2010