Listed below are some of our favorite articles and resources for those who are considering adoption or foster care or already in the process.  We have also compiled the 'best of the best' in the Tapestry Adoption & Foster Care Resource Guide.

•  Ten Questions to Consider as You Explore Adoption (download pdf)
  
  
• What to Consider When Considering Adoption (download pdf)
  
  
• Adoption from the Inside Out - an article (reprinted from Adoption Today magazine) by Michael Monroe and Dr. Karyn Purvis about the importance of healthy motivations and expectations throughout the adoption journey (download pdf)
  
  
• Saved By Adoption - an article (reprinted from Adoption Today magazine) by Michael Monroe illustrating the role motivations play in the adoption journey (download pdf)
  
  
• What I Wish I Had Known Before Starting the Foster Care or Foster Adotpion Journey - Tapestry foster and foster/adopt families share their insights (download pdf)
  
  
• What's What? An Overview of the Foster Care and Foster Adoption Alternatives - In order to provide a clear understanding of the foster/adoption alternatives we have prepared a brief overview . . . [more] 
  
  
• Defining the Foster Care Experience - Listen to the audio recording of this session presented at the 2008 Tapestry & Foster Care Conference.  You can also download the handout for this session entitled Top 10 . . . of Top 10 Lists for Foster Parents.
  
  
• Adoption Glossary - if you are confused by all the terms and acronyms relating ot adoption, check out this adoption glossary
  
  
• Adoption & Foster Care Blogging Tips (download pdf)
  
  
• Respectful Adoption Language - When it comes to adoption the words you use and how you say things do matter.  Read Speaking Positively: Using Respectful Adoption Language.
  
  
• Fostering Love - a great article that speaks to the fears and pain, as well as the joy and blessing, of foster care and foster adoption
  
  
• Help! We're Adopting - an article from Adoption Today magazine about how parents can prepare for some of the challenges of adoption
  
  
• The Connected Child - read more about Dr. Karyn Purvis' book and her work that is helping adoptive and foster families around the world better love and care for their children

• Suggested Questions for Selecting an Adoption Agency (International Adoption) (download pdf)
  
  

• Suggested Questions for Selecting an Adoption Agency (Domestic Adoption) (download pdf)
  
  

• Suggested Questions for Selecting a Child Placing Agency (Foster Care and Foster Care Adoption) (download pdf)
  
  

• Adoption Costs and Financial Assistance Resources (download pdf)
  
  

• Funding an Adoption - a helpful article by Crown Financial Ministries about how to fund an adoption in a financially responsible way
  
  

• Adoption Tax Credit - a helpful article that explains the basics about the federal adoption tax credit (of up to $12,150 for 2009)

• Making the Wait Worthwhile (download pdf)
  
  

• Ideas to Help Make Your Wait Worthwhile (download pdf)
  
  

• Other Resources and Stories to Help Make Your Wait Worthwhile - Find more resources and some encouraging stories to help you make the most of your wait

• Traveling Companions - Download the resource materials from Tapestry's most recent Traveling Companions event, designed to help you effectively bring family and friends along on the adoption or foster care journey

Listed below are some of our favorite articles and resources for adoptive and foster families.

• Tapestry Reading List - A helpful list of adoption and foster related books, magazines and websites, including children's books (download pdf).

• Whatcha Reading?: Helpful Ideas About Books and Other Resources for You and Your Children - Listen to the audio recording of this session presented at the 2008 Tapestry Adoption & Foster Care Conference

• Can We Talk?: Resources to Help You Effectively Communicate with Your Child - A collection of articles to help parents learn how to talk with their children about adoption and foster care.
  
  
• Chatting With Kids About Adoption - Read one dad's thoughts on the joys of talking with his kids about adoption (download pdf).
  
  
• Not Your Everday Chat - Insights into one dad's adoption chat with his young son.
  
  
• W.I.S.E. Up! Powerbooks - These unique resources (published by The Center for Adoption Support and Education) are great tools for any adoptive or foster parent.  CASE has pubished an adoption Powerbook and a foster care Powerbook (read a review of the foster care Powerbook).
  
  
• Beyond Talking to Empowering - As children get older it is important to understand how to empower them to handle situations on their own and equip them to speak for themselves.  This Tapestry event featured a close look at the W.I.S.E. Up! Powersbooks (both for adoption and foster care), and included role play scenarios to illustrate some effective empowering techniques.  You can listen to the audio recording of this session (presented at the 2008 Tapestry Adoption & Foster Care Conference) and download and print the handout from this sesssion.  You can also watch a video recording (in two parts) of this event below presented in March 2009:

• A Few Things to Consider When Telling Your Child's Story - adoptive parents love to share their children's stories, but here are a few things to consider when telling your child's story (download pdf)

• Adoption & Foster Care Blogging Tips (download pdf)

• Lifebook Resources - helpful tips and ideas for creating an adoption lifebook for your child (download pdf)

• More Storytelling Ideas - a collection of articles and stories from Adoptive Families magazine

• Stories from Tapestry Families - read a diverse collection of stories from our Tapestry families

• Parenting Plus - Adoption and foster care creates some unique joys and challenges.  Read more about what we call "parenting plus."
  
  
• Effective Discipline Strategies for Adoptive and Foster Families - Listen to the audio recording of this session presented at the 2008 Tapestry Adoption & Foster Care Conference

• Walking in Their Shoes - read this helpful article from Adoption Today magazine (www.adoptinfo.net)
  
  
• Adopting the Older Child - download and print the handout materials and resource packet from this event hosted by Tapestry in April 2009

• The Connected Child - Read more about Dr. Karyn Purvis' book and her work that is helping adoptive and foster families around the world better love and care for their children
  
  
• Better Understanding Our Children: An Overview of Common Challenges Faced by Adopted and Foster Children - Listen to the audio or watch the video recording of this session presented by Dr. Karyn Purvis at the 2008 Tapestry Adoption & Foster Care Conference
  
  
• Effective Discipline Strategies for Adoptive and Foster Families - Listen to the audio or watch the video recording of this session presented by Dr. Karyn Purvis at the 2008 Tapestry Adoption & Foster Care Conference
  
  Children from Hard Places: What Everyone Needs to Know - Listen to the audio recording (mp3 file) of this presentation by Dr. Purvis at Summit V at Irving Bible Church (hosted by the Christian Alliance for Orphans).  (Note: This file is large and may take a few minutes to download and begin playing.)
  
  
  
• Working Through the Hard Stuff - Listen to the audio recording of this session presented at the 2008 Tapestry Adoption & Foster Care Conference.  You can also download and print the slides from this session.
  
  
• Sensory Issues - download and print this collection of resources about the sensory integration issues that many of our children face and how you can help them effectively deal with these challenges
  
  
• A Child's Sensory World - download and print this helpful resource that includes practical tools to help parents identify and effectively address their child's sensory challenges

• Defining the Foster Care Experience - Listen to the audio recording of this session presented at the 2008 Tapestry Adoption & Foster Care Conference
  
  
• Fostering Love - a great article that speaks to the fears and pain, as well as the joy and blessing, of foster care and foster adoption
  
  
• Foster Care from Different Perspectives - Listen to the audio recording of this session presented at the 2008 Tapestry Adoption & Foster Care Conference.
  
  
• Important Legal Considerations for Foster Parents - Listen to the audio recording of this session presented at the 2008 Tapestry Adoption & Foster Care Conference.
  
  
• National Foster Parent Association - a national organization aimed at providing and support and resources for foster parents
  
  

• Children's Developmental Understanding of Adoption, Reproduction and Sexuality - Carol Demtuh presented "Did I Grow in Your Tummy? Talking About Sexuality, Reproduction & Adoption with Your Kids" at the 2008 Tapestry Conference.  Download and print the materials from this session.  You can also view her summary of our children's understanding of these important issues at various developmental stages.

Our physical adoption journeys point to a deeper and even more beautiful miracle of adoption - that God welcomes into His family as sons and daughters all that have placed their faith in Jesus Christ.  Here are just a few of our favorite resources that celebrate this wonderful reality:

• Welcomed In: A Trinitarian Approach to Adoption - Listen to the audio or watch the video recording of this session presented at the 2008 Tapestry Adoption & Foster Care Conference.  You can also download and print the outline from this session.
  
  
• Secure in God's Embrace: Living as the Father's Adopted Child - In this beautiful little book Ken Fong explores what it means to be a child of God through adoption.  Read an excerpt from Secure in God's Embrace here.
  
  
• Together for Adoption - Check out Together for Adoption for great articles, resources and insights into our spiritual adoption in Christ.

Download the Tapestry Adoption & Foster Care Resource Guide, a collection of great articles, stories and information designed especially for those who are exploring adoption and foster care.

A helpful list of adoption and foster related books, magazines and websites for adults and children (download pdf).

Download and print the conference notebooks from previous Tapestry Adoption & Foster Care Conferences as well as listen and watch recordings of some of the sessions . . . [more]

Stories that Inspire and Encourage

Adoptive and foster dads and dads-to-be should visit www.adoptivedads.org, a website with great articles, stories and resources geared towards guys.

Check out Tapestry's collection of resources and information for church adoption and foster care ministries . . . [more]

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