Children’s Bureau/ACYF/ACF/HHS

800.394.3366 | Email: info@childwelfare.gov | https://www.childwelfare.gov

FACTSHEET 

FOR FAMILIES

August 2015

Impact of Adoption on 

Adoptive Parents

WHAT’S INSIDE

Impact of the decision 

to adopt

Impact of the adoption 

process

Impact of parenting

Finding support

Conclusion

Resources

References cited

Adoptive parenthood, like other types of parenthood, 

can bring tremendous joy—and a sizable amount of 

stress. This factsheet explores some of the emotional 

ups and downs that you may experience as an 

adoptive parent before, during, and after adoption. 

While every family is unique and every parent has 

different feelings and experiences, there are some 

general themes that emerge regarding adoptive 

parents’ emotional responses. The purpose of the 

factsheet is to identify some of these themes, affirm 

common feelings, and provide links to resources 

that may help your family address adoption-related 

concerns. 
Impact of Adoption on Adoptive Parents https://www.childwelfare.gov

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 Before Adopting looks at motivations that lead 

families or individuals to consider adoption and 

explores some of the questions that prospective 

adoptive parents may want to ask themselves. 

 During the Adoption Process examines some of 

the feelings parents may encounter as they pursue 

adoption.

 After the Adoption Is Finalized explores parents’ 

feelings about the parenting role, their child’s birth 

family, and children’s responses to early trauma. 

 Finding Help discusses strategies that parents can use 

to work through adoption issues to support the best 

possible outcomes for their children and themselves.

 Resources links to additional information and 

resources to support adoptive parents.

Note: This factsheet is primarily focused on nonrelative 

adoption. While some of this information will be relevant 

for those adopting relatives/kin, the Child Welfare 

Information Gateway website offers links to many other 

resources specific to that population at https://www.

childwelfare.gov/topics/permanency/relatives/adoption/. 

This factsheet is a companion to two factsheets 

for other members of the “adoption triad” (the 

adopted person, adoptive parents, and birth 

parents) on the impact of adoption:

 Impact of Adoption on Adopted Persons 

(https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/fadimpact/) 

(Spanish version is available at https://www.

childwelfare.gov/pubs/impactoadoptadas/) 

 Impact of Adoption on Birth Parents (https://

www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/f-impact/) 

(Spanish version is available at https://www.

childwelfare.gov/pubs/impactobio/)

Also see the Lifelong Impact of Adoption section 

on the Child Welfare Information Gateway 

website at https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/

adoption/adopt-people/impact/. 

Impact of the Decision to Adopt

The desire to adopt may be influenced by religion, 

infertility, or a felt connection with a child in need of 

a home, among many other factors. Regardless of the 

circumstances, the decision to adopt is often highly 

charged with emotion.

Questions to Consider

Families, couples, and individuals who decide to adopt 

should always go through a rigorous screening process 

that encourages self-reflection and consideration of your 

reasons for wanting to adopt, as well as your expectations 

for your child, the experience of parenting, and family 

life. Being aware of your expectations may be particularly 

important, as research has shown that unmet or unrealistic 

expectations often play a role when adoptions fall apart. 

In approaching adoption, you may want to consider your 

feelings about the following:

 How will a new child fit into your life and relationship? 

 How will a new child affect family dynamics—especially 

if your family already has children?

 What changes are you willing to make to ease the 

child’s transition?

 How do you feel about open adoption—contact with 

the child’s birth family?

 How do you feel about welcoming a child from foster 

care or an institution who may have experienced abuse 

or neglect?

 How have you addressed your own past trauma or 

losses? Have you considered how adopting a child with 

a similar history might affect you emotionally?

 Is there anything in a child’s history that you feel you 

would not be equipped to cope with, emotionally 

or financially (e.g., past trauma, sexual abuse, fragile 

medical condition)?

 Are there any behaviors that a child could manifest that 

would make it too hard to maintain him or her in your 

family? 

 In cases of transracial or transcultural adoption, how 

do you feel about accommodating, helping, and 

promoting your child’s positive cultural and racial 

identity?
Impact of Adoption on Adoptive Parents https://www.childwelfare.gov

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 How will you inform family members and friends, and 

how will you deal with questions from family, friends, 

and strangers about adoption?

 How will you answer your child’s questions about 

adoption, his or her background and history, birth 

family, and your reasons for adopting? 

 What are your dreams, fantasies, and expectations 

for your child and family’s future? How do you 

typically respond when reality does not match your 

expectations?

 How willing are you to learn new parenting strategies 

that work better for children who have experienced 

loss and trauma?

 How willing and able are you to seek help for yourself 

or your child when necessary?

For more information about making the decision 

to adopt and deciding what type of adoption to 

pursue, see the following sections on the Information 

Gateway website:

 Adoption Options: Where Do I Start? (https://www.

childwelfare.gov/pubs/f-adoptoption/)

 Making the Decision to Adopt (https://www.

childwelfare.gov/topics/adoption/adoptive/

before-adoption/)

 What Are My Choices in Adoption? (https://

www.childwelfare.gov/topics/adoption/adoptive/

choices/)

 Who Are the Children Waiting for Families? (https://

www.childwelfare.gov/topics/adoption/adoptive/

who-are-the-children-waiting-for-families/)

Infertility

Some people adopt because they are unable to have 

a biological child—this includes couples (both straight 

and gay) as well as single people. In these cases, the 

prospective adoptive parents may have already faced 

loss and disappointment. Some will have experienced 

repeated miscarriages or intrusive fertility treatments. It 

is only natural for adults to respond with grief to these 

losses, and they may also experience feelings of guilt, 

shame, inadequacy (“why me?”), loss of control, and even 

jealousy of those who have been able to have a biological 

child (including their eventual child’s birth parents) 

(Goldberg, Downing, & Richardson, 2009; Kupecky & 

Anderson, 2001). 

Regardless of the exact circumstances, couples and 

individuals who turn to adoption because of infertility 

may have already weathered an emotional roller coaster. 

Their feelings must be honored and addressed before 

parents can effectively support adopted children in 

healing from their own losses. For those who need help 

working through the grief of infertility, there are support 

groups and counselors who specialize in helping infertile 

couples and individuals. It is important to remember that 

both partners in a couple may not resolve their grief at 

the same pace, and arriving at the decision to adopt may 

come at a different time for each person.

Although growing your family through adoption may 

include emotional ups and downs, it also can be full 

of joy. See the following websites to hear about a 

variety of adoption experiences:

 Adoption Tapestry (Spaulding for Children) at 

http://spaulding.org/adoption-tapestry/

 Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Success Stories (Dave 

Thomas Foundation for Adoption) at https://

davethomasfoundation.org/adopt/success-stories/ 
Impact of Adoption on Adoptive Parents https://www.childwelfare.gov

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This publication is available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/impact-parent/.

Impact of the Adoption Process

The adoption process can seem cumbersome to 

prospective parents. Each State has its own laws 

governing adoption. Intercountry adoptions are subject 

to additional regulations. For the most part, these laws 

are designed to protect the best interests of the child and 

the rights of all members of the adoption triad before the 

birth parents decide to place their child for adoption. So, 

it is normal for prospective adopters to feel vulnerable 

and powerless at times. 

During the adoption process, you will find yourself 

making life-changing decisions that can be both exciting 

and stressful. Decisions need to be made about what 

type of adoption to pursue; whether to work with an 

adoption service provider and, if so, which one; and how 

to respond to a potential placement of a particular child 

or children. The home study process can feel intrusive 

and may highlight emotional issues that you have not fully 

addressed, either individually or as a couple. You also may 

experience long periods of waiting and may have to face 

uncertain outcomes. It’s not unusual to feel anxious about 

the process and to find it difficult to go about your regular 

routine. 

A good agency and social worker can help you manage 

the adoption process and provide guidance for the 

decisions and learning along the way. Some agencies link 

prospective parents to support groups for those awaiting 

adoption or to counselors who can help during the 

waiting period.

Sometimes a planned adoption does not proceed—for 

example, because the birth parents decide to parent, 

a child in foster care is reunited with his or her birth 

family, or a country unexpectedly suspends international 

adoptions. While the prospective parents may have 

known that this was a possibility, the reality can be 

difficult to accept. If the parents have already met and 

attached to the child, it may be particularly difficult. 

This is a loss, and grief is an understandable reaction. 

Prospective adoptive parents in this situation may need 

time to work through their feelings before they’re ready to 

proceed again.

For more information about the adoption process, 

see the following sections on the Information 

Gateway website:

 Who Can Adopt? (https://www.childwelfare.

gov/topics/adoption/adoptive/whocan/)

 Home Study (https://www.childwelfare.gov/

topics/adoption/adoptive/home-study/)

 Finding an Adoption Agency (https://www.

childwelfare.gov/topics/adoption/adoptive/

finding-agency/)

Impact of Parenting

For many adoptive parents, completing the adoption 

matching and placement process means that the most 

difficult phase is behind them. Most adoptive children 

settle in with their new families, and research shows that 

the great majority of adoptive parents are satisfied with 

their decision to adopt (Vandivere, Malm, & Radel, 2009). 

But settling into parenthood or the “postadoption 

period” can present its own difficulties for parents. In 

some cases, adoption-related concerns arise long after 

the adoption has been finalized, and parents may be 

unprepared for the issues that may come up throughout 

the lifelong adoption journey. Some stressors are the 

same types of challenges that all families—biological 

and adoptive—face; however, there are other potential 

stressors unique to adoption and adoptive parents may 

want to familiarize themselves with these possibilities.
Impact of Adoption on Adoptive Parents https://www.childwelfare.gov

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This publication is available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/impact-parent/.

Information Gateway offers a robust collection 

of resources to support those who are parenting 

after adoption. Visit https://www.childwelfare.gov/

topics/adoption/adopt-parenting/. 

This section includes a series of factsheets to 

help adoptive parents address issues specific to 

particular developmental stages:

 Parenting Your Adopted Preschooler (https://

www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/

preschool/)

 Parenting Your Adopted School-Age 

Child (https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/

factsheets/parent-school-age/)

 Parenting Your Adopted Teenager (https://

www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/

parent-teenager/)

The following additional factsheets also may be of 

interest:

 Helping Your Foster Child Transition to Your 

Adopted Child (https://www.childwelfare.gov/

pubs/f-transition/) 

 Parenting a Child Who Has Experienced Abuse 

or Neglect (https://www.childwelfare.gov/

pubs/parenting-CAN)

 Parenting a Child Who Has Been Sexually 

Abused: A Guide for Foster and Adoptive 

Parents (https://www.childwelfare.gov/

pubs/f-abused/)

Postadoption Depression

After months or years of anticipating parenthood, the 

excitement of the actual adoption can give way to a 

feeling of “let down” or sadness in a small percentage 

of parents (Foli, 2010; Senecky, Agassi, Inbar, Horesh, 

Diamond, Bergman, Apter., 2009). Much like postpartum 

depression, and occurring at about the same rate, 

postadoption depression may occur within a few weeks 

of adoption finalization. The realities of parenthood, 

including lack of sleep (for parents of infants or children 

with behavioral or sleep issues) and the weight of parental 

responsibilities can be overwhelming. Parents may have 

difficulty attaching to the new child and may question 

their parenting capabilities. They also may be hesitant to 

admit that there are any problems after a long-awaited 

adoption.

In some cases, these feelings resolve on their own as 

parents adjust to their new life. If these feelings last for 

more than a few weeks or interfere with your ability to 

parent, peer support or professional help (with a therapist 

skilled in adoption issues) may help you to address the 

issues causing the depression and assume your parenting 

role with greater confidence (see Finding Help later in 

this factsheet). For more information and resources, see 

the Information Gateway web section on Postadoption 

Depression at https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/

adoption/adopt-parenting/depression/.

Identity

Adoption is a life event that changes the identities of 

all involved. For many adoptive parents, this change 

in identity means the realization of the long-awaited 

role of “mom” or “dad.” However, sometimes adoptive 

parents are slow to adjust or wonder what expectations 

accompany their new identities.

Adoptive parents may worry that they don’t “feel” like 

parents, even after the adoption is complete. Some 

wonder whether they are really entitled to parent their 

new son or daughter. Or, after years of keeping their 

parenting desire in check, they find it difficult to fully 

embrace parenthood or to believe they are truly parents 

like other people are. Parents may even question why they 

don’t immediately love their new child or wonder whether 

they love their child enough (Eidson, 2012). For these new 

parents, parenting may seem like a tentative status at 

best. Furthermore, the lack of role models for adoptive 

parents may give them a sense of isolation. 

If you have adopted from foster care, you may have had 

visits with the child, or the child may have actually lived 

with you before the adoption. Even so, the finalization 

creates a permanent family situation, and you and your 

child may take some time to develop a bond and evolve 

into your new identities, just as a couple adjusts to 

marriage after dating for a long time.
Impact of Adoption on Adoptive Parents https://www.childwelfare.gov

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If you have adopted an infant, received a child in 

an emergency placement, or adopted through an 

intercountry adoption, the suddenness of the child’s 

arrival may leave little time for becoming accustomed 

to your new identity. You may be so absorbed in the 

practical tasks of meeting your child’s needs that you have 

little time to dwell on your new status, especially at first. 

For some parents, there is a pivotal moment when they 

first feel like “Mom” or “Dad” (e.g., the first visit to the 

doctor, school registration, the first time the child says 

“momma”). For others, it is the day-to-day routine of 

caring for the child and forming a mutual attachment 

that gradually leads to self-identification as the child’s 

parent. However this occurs, the vast majority of parents 

eventually move beyond their feelings of being “not 

worthy” or “not capable” of parenting their child; they 

become comfortable in their new roles, accepting the 

responsibility and recognizing and feeling fully entitled to 

parent their child. 

There are a number of things that you can do to help 

yourself and your family adjust to your new identity. The 

following strategies may be useful right after an adoption, 

as well as 5, 10, or 20 years later, because parents and 

children can encounter identity and adoption issues 

throughout their lives—especially around particular 

milestones, such as birthdays, holidays, births, and 

deaths:

 Connect with parents who have completed a similar 

adoption. Learning how other parents have made 

the adjustment and have dealt with challenges can 

be reassuring. More experienced adoptive parents 

can serve as role models to newer parents. Parent 

support groups are meant for just that—supporting 

and lending a hand and a sympathetic ear to parents 

who need it. (Information Gateway’s National Foster 

Care and Adoption Directory lists kinship, foster care, 

and adoption support groups by State at https://www.

childwelfare.gov/nfcad/.)

 Establish family traditions or rituals. You may want 

to establish daily or weekly activity schedules. Routines 

can be comforting and stabilizing for children, and 

they can help to normalize family life. Rituals can be as 

simple as bedtime reading or family movie night. You 

also may want to establish traditions to commemorate 

important days (the day of the adoption placement or 

finalization) or holidays. These special occasions can 

be a time for celebration and can reinforce parent and 

family identification. 

 Create a family story. Writing your family’s story can 

help all family members feel a sense of belonging. You 

can start the story while you are awaiting adoption, 

beginning with your own story, from childhood 

through the decision to adopt. As each new member 

joins the family, his or her background and story are 

added. There are many possible formats for these 

stories—including scrapbooks, journals, videos, and 

blogs—and they can be maintained through multiple 

generations. (A family’s story is different from a child’s 

individual lifebook, which focuses only on the child. 

See the Information Gateway section on Lifebooks 

for more information at https://www.childwelfare.gov/

topics/adoption/adopt-parenting/lifebooks/.)

 Connect with your child’s birth culture. Developing 

a strong family identity that involves all members 

and makes everyone feel included may be especially 

important for the transracial or transcultural family 

or for any “conspicuous” adoptive family. You can 

choose activities, schools, friends, encounters with 

professionals, and neighborhoods that send a 

message that they value the diversity of all family 

members.

 Prepare to respond to outsiders (including 

relatives, friends, and strangers) about the 

adoption. New adoptive parents can be caught off 

guard by some of the questions asked by friends, 

relatives, and even strangers. Preparing for how to 

respond to questions, how much of the child’s story 

to share, and how to inform or educate relatives and 

friends about adoption can reinforce the new identity 

of parents and children, empower the new family, and 

even be a family attachment experience if the children 

are old enough to be involved. For more information 

and resources, visit Information Gateway’s web 

section on Talking About Adoption at https://www.

childwelfare.gov/topics/adoption/adopt-parenting/

talking/.
Impact of Adoption on Adoptive Parents https://www.childwelfare.gov

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This publication is available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/impact-parent/.

Feelings About Your Child’s Background and 

Birth Family

Regardless of the type of adoption, questions or concerns 

about the child’s family of origin and background can 

impact adoptive parents’ feelings about the adoption.

Contact with birth family. In some cases, adoptive 

parents still have a say in whether their adoption is open 

(i.e., whether the adoptive family remains in contact 

with their child’s birth family). However, the Internet 

and increasing use of social media are causing rapid 

changes in this area; in most cases, it is no longer a 

question of if but when adopted children learn about, 

locate, and (potentially) communicate with birth family 

members, which may include birth parents, siblings, or 

other relatives. Contact with birth family can take many 

forms, from occasional letters, to contact on social media 

sites, to regular, face-to-face visits. For more about 

the role of social media in adoption, see Information 

Gateway’s resources for parents and caregivers at 

https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/adoption/intro/

social-media-adoption/#caregivers. 

Initially, some adoptive parents feel fearful of birth family 

contact or wonder whether their child will understand 

“who is who.” They may worry about having to “compete” 

with birth family for their child’s affection or may fear 

feeling accountable to birth parents for their day-to-day 

parenting decisions (Singer, 2010). Some parents may 

feel that by avoiding contact with birth family, they are 

protecting their children from feelings of grief and loss. 

However, these losses exist regardless of birth family 

contact. 

Research shows that open adoption arrangements 

generally work well for all involved. In fact, studies 

have shown that openness is associated with better 

postadoption adjustment for adoptive parents, as well as 

for birth parents and adopted persons (Ge et al., 2008). 

Adoptive parents who have maintained contact with 

birth families rarely regret the decision or desire less 

contact (for a summary of relevant research, visit http://

www.adoptionhelp.org/open-adoption/research). For a 

summary of fears and facts related to open adoptions, 

visit http://www.openadopt.org/adoptive-parents/

facts-about-open-adoption/. 

Your guidance and ability to provide consistent, ageappropriate information about your child’s background 

and birth family will help him or her better understand the 

adoption and birth family relationship. This information, 

and contact with the birth family when possible, will 

eliminate some of the mystery and fantasies that adopted 

children naturally develop around their birth families. 

Parents who adopt from foster care may experience 

unique struggles regarding their child’s birth family. They 

may know that, in most cases maintaining ties to birth 

siblings, grandparents, or birth parents is important 

for the child’s identity, development, and long-term 

well-being; however, they also may know that some 

of these relatives neglected or maltreated their child. 

Your willingness to facilitate birth family contact (with 

appropriate boundaries) supports his or her well-being 

and provides a model of mature behavior for your child. 

Child Welfare Information Gateway offers a factsheet for 

families with information to support adoptive families in 

considering and maintaining open adoption. Openness in 

Adoption: Building Relationships Between Adoptive and 

Birth Families is available at https://www.childwelfare.gov/

pubs/f-openadopt/. 

Find more information and resources in the following 

Information Gateway web sections:

 Open Adoption and Contact With Birth Family (https://

www.childwelfare.gov/topics/adoption/adoptive/

before-adoption/openness/) 

 Social Media in Adoption, Resources for Parents and 

Caregivers (https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/

adoption/intro/social-media-adoption/#caregivers) 

 After Adoption From Foster Care (https://www.

childwelfare.gov/topics/adoption/adopt-parenting/

foster/) 
Impact of Adoption on Adoptive Parents https://www.childwelfare.gov

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Gaps in background information. Although your 

adoption agency or organization is required to provide 

you with all of the information they have about your child, 

sometimes information is simply unavailable. Children 

in foster care may have complex family histories, have 

experienced multiple placements, or have files that simply 

suffer from lapses in recordkeeping. Children adopted 

from other countries may have spent time in foster homes 

in their native country or have been in orphanages or 

other institutions for months or years. Often, there is little 

reliable information from their country of origin about 

the child’s background, relatives, or medical history. 

Even parents who adopt their children as infants may feel 

frustrated that they do not know more about their child’s 

birth family or prenatal care. 

These unknowns are a common aspect of adoption; 

adoptive parents may need to accept that their child has 

had previous experiences that the parents may never 

know about. On the other hand, particularly in the case of 

older adopted children, parents should be prepared for 

the possibility that they may learn more about their child’s 

history as he or she begins to feel safe in the adopted 

home.

The Information Gateway factsheet Obtaining 

Background Information on Your Prospective Adopted 

Child has suggestions for learning as much as you can 

about your child prior to adopting at https://www.

childwelfare.gov/pubs/f-background/. 

Impact of Childhood Trauma

Adoptive parents are sometimes surprised when their 

child acts out or continues to have issues stemming from 

past experiences after the adoption is finalized. This 

behavior may be a sign that your child is experiencing 

trauma—an emotional response to a past intense 

event that threatened him or her or caused physical 

or emotional harm. In many cases, children recover 

quickly from traumatic experiences with no lasting harm. 

However, for some children, trauma interferes with normal 

development and can have long-term effects.

If you know your child has traumatic events in his or her 

history, it will be important to watch for signs of their 

impact. If there are gaps in your knowledge about your 

child’s history, be aware that difficult behaviors may be 

signs of trauma and have your child evaluated if necessary. 

In the meantime, it might be helpful to remember that 

your child’s behavior may be a learned response to stress. 

Even foster parents who established a relationship with 

their child prior to adoption are sometimes taken by 

surprise by behaviors that emerge once the adoption 

is finalized. Some children adopted from foster care 

may act out or misbehave in an effort to induce feelings 

of rejection, anger, pain, and abandonment in their 

parents. This testing behavior may actually indicate that 

the child feels comfortable enough with the parents to 

communicate his or her feelings. Parents should prepare 

for their own response, modeling understanding and 

appropriate reactions if that occurs.

Parenting a child who has experienced trauma can be 

difficult. Parents sometimes feel isolated, as if no one 

else understands what they are going through. They may 

feel frustrated or even resentful toward their child. Some 

parents begin to doubt their own parenting abilities and 

wonder, “Why can’t I fix this?” This can put a strain not 

only on your relationship with your child, but with other 

family members as well (including your spouse or partner). 

Learning about what your child experienced also may act 

as a trigger for you if you have your own trauma history. 

Taking time to focus on self-care and your own healing will 

be especially important.

For more information, see the Information Gateway 

factsheet, Parenting a Child Who Has Experienced Trauma

(https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/childtrauma), and the web section, Resources on Trauma for 

Caregivers and Families (https://www.childwelfare.gov/

topics/responding/trauma/caregivers/). 
Impact of Adoption on Adoptive Parents https://www.childwelfare.gov

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This publication is available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/impact-parent/.

Finding Support

Some adoptive parents find they need support to work 

through the emotions that arise before, during, or after 

the adoption is finalized. In at least one survey, the 

majority of adoptive families identified some ongoing 

issues that made daily life challenging—including 

emotional, behavioral, and school concerns (Stevens, 

2011). If this is true for your family, keep in mind that 

seeking help is a sign of strength and doing so earlier 

rather than later may help to prevent a crisis.

It will be important to find support services that are 

tailored for adoptive families. (For information about 

the difficulties some families face in locating adoptioncompetent services, see Casey Family Services, 2003.) 

One place to start is with your adoption agency. Many 

agencies offer some kind of postadoption support and 

services. Some offer preservation programs dedicated 

to keeping an adoption intact by helping parents 

understand their child’s behavior and how to manage it 

effectively. Research has shown that a good therapeutic 

relationship between adoptive parents and their social 

worker can provide significant support during the 

postadoption phase (Zosky, Howard, Smith, & Howard, 

2005). 

Other services that adoptive families have found 

beneficial include the following:

 Respite care offers a short break from the 

responsibilities of parenting, giving parents an 

opportunity to rest, practice self-care, and take 

advantage of additional support services. Respite can 

range from a few hours to a few days.

 Support groups, whether online or in person, 

provide parents an opportunity to connect with 

others in similar situations, vent their feelings in a 

safe environment, receive supportive feedback, and 

learn new strategies from more experienced adoptive 

parents.

 Adoption-competent counselors or therapists can 

provide targeted therapeutic services to children, 

parents, and the family as a whole to address 

adoption-related issues.

 Adoption subsidies are available for some families 

who adopt from the child welfare system to help with 

the costs of caring for children with special needs. 

 Educational advocates help parents of children with 

special needs to understand their child’s educational 

rights and to work effectively with the school system to 

identify and access accommodations, programs, and 

services to help their child succeed.

Any counselors or therapists that the adoptive parent 

or family uses should be “adoption competent”—

meaning they have experience with adoption issues and 

knowledge about the adoption triad. If your child has (or 

you suspect has) a history of trauma, it will be important 

that the therapist is also knowledgeable and experienced 

in working with child traumatic stress. Other adoptive 

families are often good sources of referral for therapists 

and other assistance. Your agency or other local support 

organizations may maintain lists of adoption-competent, 

trauma-informed counselors and therapists.

Two Information Gateway factsheets provide more 

detailed information about locating adoptioncompetent postadoption services: Finding and Using 

Postadoption Services (https://www.childwelfare.gov/

pubs/f-postadoption/) and Selecting and Working With a 

Therapist Skilled in Adoption (https://www.childwelfare.

gov/pubs/f-therapist/).

Find more information and resources in the following 

sections of the Information Gateway website:

 Adoption Assistance by State (https://www.

childwelfare.gov/topics/adoption/adopt-assistance/) 

 Finding Services for an Adopted Child (https://www.

childwelfare.gov/topics/adoption/adopt-parenting/

services/) 

Conclusion

Adoption is a lifelong commitment, and adoption-related 

issues may arise at any point in the parents’ or their child’s 

lifetime. A willingness to learn about the issues and seek 

support if necessary can help to ensure that parents and 

children experience happy and healthy family lives.
Impact of Adoption on Adoptive Parents https://www.childwelfare.gov

10

This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway. 

This publication is available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/impact-parent/.

Resources

 Adoption Exchange. The Adoption Exchange 

provides expertise and support before, during, and 

after the adoption process. It has offices in eight States 

and provides educational support nationally (http://

www.adoptex.org).

 AdoptUsKids. Primarily a tool for connecting potential 

families with waiting children, this website also offers 

a number of resources for adoptive families, including 

information about the adoptive process, adoption 

advocacy, and stories for parents and children. Two 

resources that parents may find particularly helpful 

are Taking a Break: Creating Foster, Adoptive, and 

Kinship Respite Care in Your Community (http://www.

adoptuskids.org/_assets/files/NRCRRFAP/resources/

taking-a-break-respite-guide.pdf) and the Minority 

Specializing Agency and Resource Directory (http://

www.adoptuskids.org/_assets/files/NRCRRFAP/

resources/minority-specializing-agency-directory.pdf). 

 Center for Adoption Support and Education 

(C.A.S.E.). The C.A.S.E. website includes information 

on adoption-competent therapy, adoption training, 

community education, and publications. It also offers 

publications, including the W.I.S.E. Up! Powerbook, 

which empowers adopted children to answer questions 

about adoption if, when, and how they choose (http://

www.adoptionsupport.org).

 Families Adopting in Response (FAIR). FAIR is an 

all-volunteer organization that offers information, 

education, support, and fellowship to adoptive and 

preadoptive families. Members include families who 

have adopted children through public and private 

agencies from the United States and from many other 

countries (http://www.fairfamilies.org).

 Institute for Human Services. The Institute for 

Human Services provides child welfare training and 

offers a number of resources to support child welfare 

professionals and parents who foster and adopt 

children from the child welfare system, including an 

overview of how adoption can impact all members 

of the adoption triad for multiple generations 

in Intergenerational Issues in Adoption (http://

www.nysccc.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/

intergenerational-issues-in-adoption.pdf; http://www.

ihs-trainet.com/products_resources/products_books.

htm). 

 New York State Citizens’ Coalition for Children 

(NYSCCC). Although this website is focused on 

New York families, many of the resources have 

relevance for other adoptive families. Transracial and 

transcultural resources and questions and answers 

may be particularly useful (http://nysccc.org/familysupports/transracial-transcultural; http://nysccc.org/

family-supports/). 

 North American Council on Adoptable Children 

(NACAC). Founded in 1974 by adoptive parents, 

NACAC is committed to meeting the needs of waiting 

children and the families who adopt them. NACAC 

offers advocacy, education, parent leadership capacity 

building, and adoption support (http://www.nacac.

org/). 

 Pact, an Adoption Alliance. Pact offers a 

comprehensive site addressing issues for adopted 

children of color, offering informative articles on 

related topics as well as profiles of families, links 

to other resources, and a reference guide with 

a searchable database. The site also provides 

opportunities to interact with and ask questions of 

birth parents, adopted people, adoptive parents, and 

adoption professionals (http://www.pactadopt.org/

adoptive/welcome.html). 

References Cited

Casey Family Services, the Casey Center for Effective 

Child Welfare Practice. (2003). Strengthening families 

& communities: Promising practices in adoptioncompetent mental health services. New Haven, CT: 

Casey Family Services. 

Eidson, F. (2012, Winter). Adoption ghosts: A personal and 

professional view. The Infant Crier, 132, 3–7.

Foli, K. J. (2010). Depression in adoptive parents: A model 

of understanding through grounded theory. Western 

Journal of Nursing Research, 32, 379–400.
Impact of Adoption on Adoptive Parents https://www.childwelfare.gov

Ge et al. (2008). Bridging the divide: Openness in 

adoption and post-adoption psychosocial adjustment 

among birth and adoptive parents. Journal of Family 

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Goldberg, A. E., Downing, J. B., & Richardson, H. B. (2009). 

The transition from infertility to adoption: Perceptions 

of lesbian and heterosexual couples. Journal of Social 

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Kupecky, R., & Anderson, K. J. (2001). Infertility and 

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Senecky, Y., Agassi, H., Inbar, D., Horesh, N., Diamond, 

G., Bergman, Y. S., & Apter, A. (2009). Post-adoption 

depression among adoptive mothers. Journal of 

Affective Disorders, 115, 68–69.

Singer, E. (2010). Embracing the importance of birth 

parents in the lives of adopted children. Adoption 

Today, 33, 32–34.

Stevens, K. (2011). Post-adoption needs survey offers 

direction for continued advocacy efforts. Adoptalk 

(North American Council on Adoptable Children). 

Retrieved from http://www.nacac.org/adoptalk/

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Vandivere, S., Malm, K., & Radel, L. (2009). Adoption USA: 

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Zosky, D. L., Howard, J. A., Smith, S. L., & Howard, A. M. 

(2005). Investing in adoptive families: What adoptive 

families tell us regarding the benefits of adoption 

preservation services. Adoption Quarterly, 8(3).

Suggested Citation

Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2015). Impact of 

adoption on adoptive parents. Washington, DC: U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s 

Bureau.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

Administration for Children and Families 

Administration on Children, Youth and Families 

Children’s Bureau