Julia Davis' book fills a big gap - supporting professionals, families and particularly children through the transition from foster care into an adoptive placement. She leads all those involved carefully and with real thought through the process with particular focus on what this transition means and may feel like for the child. The book contains plenty of practical suggestions around preparing children for a move into an adoptive family and helping them to settle and bond once they are there. She doesn't gloss over the challenges that this momentous time can present, but guides everyone involved with compassion and sensitivity. She also includes information on the special considerations required when siblings are transitioning, which isn't always covered in other texts. I strongly recommend this book for anyone involved in a child's transition from foster care into an adoptive family. I wish it had been around when our family was starting out.
Sally Donovan, adoptive mother and author of No Matter What and The Unofficial Guide to Adoptive Parenting Preparing for Adoption breaks down the fraught build-up towards an adoption into calm, manageable and well-informed chunks, all of which are backed up with perceptive references to recent theory and shining examples of good practice. Each stage - preparing yourself, your future child, your family and friends and even their birth family - for the enormous forthcoming change in all their lives - is enlightened by extremely useful suggestions and invaluable insight gained from Julia Davies' personal and professional experience. Best of all, there is real empathy for all those involved in this complex and often lengthy process. I would thoroughly recommend this wonderful book to prospective adopters and their friends and family, as well as foster carers and social work practitioners. I only wish it had been written earlier.
Ali Redford, adoptive parent I thought adopters couldn't be prepared for everything... until I read this book! It is tremendous - jam packed with practical advice and case studies that bring the real issues to life together with an excellent overview of the theory. I think all prospective adopters should be required to read it before children can be placed with them.
Mark Owers, CEO, Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies (CVAA) UK This is the book I wish I could have read before we became foster parents. It manages to walk the fine line between being realistic about the trauma and corresponding issues that the children may face, without making them seem impossible to parent...Adoptive parents, even if you think you've read everything there is on bringing a new child into your home, I urge you to pick this book up...This is a hard job. Don't do it alone.
Erin Kirchoefer, foster parent