Resources

Foster Care and Adoption Materials

We believe that foster care and adoption are among the most beautiful callings that God can place on a family. However, they are not without difficulty. Foster and adoptive families may face challenges and trials that many other families don’t. But there is HOPE in the midst of this struggle. At Focus on the Family we are committed to educating and empowering families to help waiting children and youth in foster care. One of the ways we do this is through our FREE resources. To request FREE copies of the materials listed here, email WaitNoMore@fotf.org.

Foster & Adoptive Families Need Your L.O.V.E

There are many different ways to minister to families that have welcomed children into their homes through foster care or adoption. This booklet makes it clear that these families need their churches to rally around them on the journey, and especially during times of trial. While the guidance in this resource may not apply to every situation, it offers a solid overview of the struggles encountered by foster and adoptive families with emotionally wounded or struggling children in their homes–and includes practical guidance for churches seeking effective ways to support them.

Love and Loss in Foster Care

The fear and uncertainty that come with foster care and adoption can cause many families to shy away from pursuing what God is asking of them. Author and adoptive father Johnston Moore challenges families to examine their fears and concerns in the light of God’s promises as they step out in faith to welcome vulnerable children into their homes.

Raising Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder              

In this booklet (part of a series on parenting challenges), you’ll meet Mike and Kristin, two incredible adoptive parents who faced the prospect of raising children living with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). This resource explains the meaning of that term, outlines the risks of prenatal alcohol exposure, lists the signs and symptoms of the condition, and explores some of the things that can be done to counteract its negative effects. Best of all, it offers new parenting and educational strategies designed to meet the problem head-on. 

Hope & Healing for Sensory Deprivation

Many adoptive families struggle to understand some of the more challenging behaviors demonstrated by their kids. Sometimes, this is due to a lack of knowledge about sensory processing disorder (SPD) and how it impacts children. This booklet offers families guidance for identifying the signs of sensory processing disorder and provides solid advice for helping SPD-impacted children heal.

Attachment in Adoption

Parenting children from difficult backgrounds can be a challenge for many adoptive parents–but there is hope for even the most complex situations. This booklet gives adoptive and foster parents in-depth insights into why their child may have difficulty adapting to life in a new family–and offers real hope for success. This positive and informative resource explains how your child has formed his or her current behavior patterns, and offers tips and resources for overcoming their past and building a bond that is rewarding for both you and your child.

Preparing for a Transracial Adoption

When considering transracial adoption, there are a number of questions that arise. “Do I know how to teach my child to interact with a world that will treat him differently because of the color of his skin?” “Am I prepared to help my child respond to the extra attention and curiosity that comes from others as we ‘stand out’ as a transracial family?” This thoughtful booklet was created to help parents think through questions like these, and to point out practical ways to find the answers.

Wait No More: One Family’s Amazing Adoption Journey

Kelly and John Rosati never expected to adopt four children from the U.S. foster care system. But God’s plan for them turned out to be even more extraordinary than they could have imagined. Follow Kelly and John on their amazing journey through the child welfare system. You’ll be inspired by the story of how God brought their family together and challenged by their honest and revealing look at the desperate need of children still waiting for families. The Rosatis’ story is one of hope amidst challenges, beauty from ashes, and faith that sustains. It’s a beautiful picture of what family truly looks like.

Handbook on Thriving as an Adoptive Family

Adoption is a high calling from God, and the Christian home fertile soil for planting seeds of faith. But how will post-adoption challenges affect this growth? Most agencies do a great job of connecting families with children who need forever homes. Not many prepare them for the unexpected issues—an adopted child fighting with his new siblings, or not wanting to be touched, or showing signs of reactive attachment disorder (RAD). This distinctly Christian book will equip readers to be successful adoptive parents. Packed from cover to cover with information, advice, ideas, and resources, the Handbook on Thriving as an Adoptive Family will inspire and inform parents committed to making adoption work. It’s an indispensable guide that provides comprehensive, topical, Bible-based solutions for the inevitable challenges that come after adoption.

A Servant’s Heart: Supporting Adoptive Families in Your Community

Adoption itself may be a singular event, but the path toward healing for both child and family is ongoing. With support and care from those around them, adoptive families can truly thrive. A Servant’s Heart helps individuals and churches understand how to effectively care for the adoptive and foster families in their community. This resource includes: discussion questions for a small group setting; video content including a message from Pastor Brady Boyd and interviews with adoptive families; and practical ideas for implementing a 4-week service project to W.R.A.P. around an adoptive family. (WRAP = Wrestle in Prayer, Respite Care, Acts of Service, Promises of God).