Considering Adoption
By Sarah Biggs - A Sheldon Press book

Whether you already have your own children and want to complete your family through adoption, or whether you are considering adoption as the only way you can have the children you dream of, this book is for you. Comprehensive and concise, with information for those thinking about adoption, and those whose child has already arrived, this book considers:

• Is adoption right for me?
• How do I go about adopting a child?
• Will I be accepted for adoption?
• What are the pros and cons of older or disabled children.
• What about transracial or overseas adoption?
• How to provide the best care for your adopted child
• Children and birth parents

Sarah Biggs is the mother of two adopted children. She is the author of The Subfertility Handbook (Sheldon Press).

Contents

• The changing face of adoption
• Social Services and the home assessment
• Adopting a baby or child under the age of two
• Children who wait
• Intercountry adoption
• After adoption
• Secrets and lies
• Birth families and adopted children
• The support network

Whether you already have your own children and want to complete your family through adoption, or whether you are considering adoption as the only way you can have the children you dream of, this book sets out to explain the process in the United Kingdom today. Whether you ultimately adopt a baby of a few weeks old or an older child or sibling group, life will never be the same again.

This book is divided into two parts; the first deals with the processes you must undergo in order to adopt, the second outlines some of the issues that might confront you and your family after adoption.

There are many shortcomings within the system, but if you do adopt, your child will bring joy and fulfilment as well as the problems and responsibility that all parenthood implies.

I am indebted to the many people who helped me with material for this book, particularly the birth mothers, adopted children and adopters who shared their stories with me. I would particularly like to thank Ged Carmody, Janet Alvis, Sue Carpenter, Gill Fifield, Jennifer George, Jenny Goodman, Kath McCann and all the other contributors who preferred not to be named.

I would also like to remember the enormous contribution made towards the understanding of the suffering caused by infertility by Professor Mike Hull, of Bristol University, who died in 1999.

About the author
Sarah Biggs has previously written books about subfertility and at present she serves with the Inspectorate of The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. She is married with two adopted sons and works as a Marketing and Training Consultant.