When we took our first steps into the adoption process, we were eager to learn from others who had blazed this trail before us. Searching bookstores for any wisdom that might help avoid known pitfalls and apply proven practices, we quickly found publications on the adoption process, some on adopting infants, and plenty providing advice on international adoptions. However, books providing counsel on adopting foster children (especially older children), were hard to come by. What you hold in your hands is our humble attempt to write that book.
The lessons and real-life examples that you find in this book were forged in the ups and downs, laughter and tears, successes and failures of the last two decades. In these pages you will find an overview of the foster-adoption process, tips for working with state and legal entities, principles and approaches to adoptive parenting, real-life experiences that illustrate those principles, and techniques for effectively folding a child into your family.