Adoption Social Work And Social Theory

This book is an attempt at understanding the foundations upon which the practice and theory of adoption and substitute care are based. It shows that mainstream thinking about adoption is flawed in a number of ways and uses historical and cross-cultural material to develop an alternative framework for understanding and practice.Much of the material which directly and indirectly relates to and informs the practice and theory of adoption and substitute care is dispersed across a variety of disciplines, including history, anthropology, ethnography, sociology, law, social work and social administration. This work attempts to integrate much of that material in a consistent historical and social theoretical framework.The implications of this study for social and welfare work and policy in the field of adoption and substitute care are profound.The book concludes with a set of recommendations for altering both the substance and form of our practices in the field of substitute care and indeed, of professional education leading to employment in that area.

Social workers are constantly making decisions under pressure. How do policy, law, research and theory influence what they do? This important book provides the answers with a crystal-clear map of the field of social work with children and families. Focused on four major themes - family support work, child protection, adoption and fostering, and residential child care, and reveals in detail all the challenges that social workers face every day. Edited by the highly respected Martin Davies, this authoritative and illuminating book argues that the skill of the social worker can have life-enhancing consequences for some of the most vulnerable people in society. It is an essential investment for students, educators and practitioners alike.

Originally published in 1993, this classic piece of literature on adoption has revolutionised the way people think about adopted children. Nancy Verrier examines the life-long consequences of the 'primal wound' - the wound that is caused when a child is separated from its mother - for adopted people. Her argument is supported by thorough research in pre- and perinatal psychology, attachment, bonding and the effects of loss.

This practical book looks at the experiences of children in need who live in state care and the social worker's role in working with them. This is a popular guide to this complex and demanding area of practice. There are chapters on communication and children's rights, life story work, attachment and culture, ethnicity and faith. Throughout the book there are sections on supporting legislation and policy for children in residential care, foster care, adoption and leaving care. Key features include:; Practical links between theory and practice; Includes law and policy relevant to looked-after children; Information on understanding statistics; Contains lots of practical activities.

This book explores what it is like to be involved in contemporary open adoption, characterised by varying forms of contact with birth relatives, from an adoptive parent point of view. The author’s fine-grained interpretative phenomenological analysis of adopters’ accounts reveals the complexity of kinship for those whose most significant relationships are made, unmade and permanently altered through adoption. MacDonald distinctively connects adoption to wider sociological theories of relatedness and personal life, and focuses on domestic non-kin adoption of children from state care, including compulsory adoption. The book also addresses current child welfare concerns, and suggestions are made for adoption practice. The book will be of interest to scholars and students with an interest in adoption, social work, child welfare, foster care, family and sociology.

This compassionate book brings together for the first time issues about infertility and adoption. Fifteen to 20 of all married couples in the United States are infertile, and most people have intense psychological and emotional reactions to the experience of infertility. Infertility and Adoption provides a clear understanding of the historical and social context of infertility, its emotional impact, and the process of coping with infertility. A prototype for conducting psychosocial assessments with infertile couples is provided. Practitioners, researchers, and administrators will learn about the latest trends in preparing adoptive parents for the arrival of their child. The multidisciplinary appeal of this book will reach professionals in social work and mental health and better prepare all of those who work with the growing number of individuals touched by infertility.

USA. Social work and the role of social workers in solving problems involving poverty, family difficulties and child care. The social structure in urban areas, and sociological aspects of housing and urban transportation.

This book is a quick and accessible reference guide to the key concepts that social work students and professionals need to understand to be effective. The authors place practice at the centre of the text, and include a host of case examples to bring the concepts to life. Examining the essential topics of the social work curriculum, the concepts covered relate to practice, theory, policy and personal challenges. Further reading is included in each entry, so that the reader can explore what they have learned in more detail. This book will be an invaluable resource for social work students during their studies and on their practice placement. It will also be useful for qualified social workers, who want to continue their professional education.