Elizabeth Raleigh: A Nationally Representative Comparison of Black and White Adoptive Parents of Black Adoptees

Dr. Karin Garber describes her research on adoptive microaggressions, beginning by outlining ways that stigma and stereotypes about members of the adoption kinship network can lead to intentional or unintentional negative messages that can be communicated through behavioral, verbal, and environmental means. Dr. Garber goes on to describe the spectrum of microaggressions, providing examples of microassaults, microinsults, and microinvalidations that adoptees may experience. She then compares microaggressions experienced by adoptees with the research on microaggressions experienced by birth/first parents and adoptive parents. Dr. Garber provides helpful suggestions for adoptive parents seeking to support their adoptive children in navigating and responding to microaggressions as well as for practitioners working with members of the adoption kinship network. She concludes by discussing a new area of research that she and others are pursuing related to intraethnic and intraracial microaggressions experienced by transracial adoptees. For more information and a transcript visit emilyhelder.com

14 Des 202030min

Dr. Bibiana Koh, Dr. JaeRan Kim, and Dr. Ruth McRoy discuss the importance of thinking about adoption competency as an ongoing area of development for professionals, rather than an endpoint that can be reached. They outline their research findings from a study that surveyed faculty about their coverage of adoption content in higher education programs. Drs. Koh, Kim & McRoy provide suggestions about adoption related topics that are important to cover at the undergraduate and graduate level of training and also the ways that post-graduate certificate programs can deepen knowledge and practice skills. They describe barriers to the inclusion of adoption content in a variety of fields, despite it's interdisciplinary relevance, and provide policy recommendations for increasing adoption coverage in higher education. For more information and a transcript visit emilyhelder.com

7 Des 202036min

Dr. Peter Selman, an expert in adoption policy and demographic trends in adoption, discusses the structural factors that lead to changing trends in international adoption. He then focuses on international adoptions that occur in the context of natural disasters or political crises, identifying the role of the media in framing these crises and the child welfare implications of such framing. Dr. Selman also discusses the concept of "adoption as rescue," identifying the origins as well as implications of this motivation for international adoption. He concludes by discussing safeguards that are designed to prevent unethical adoption practices that may emerge during periods of crisis and also outlines the role of Western nations in preventing the proliferation of institutional care in non-Western nations and supporting global child welfare practices that seek the best interests of children. For more information and a transcript visit emilyhelder.com

30 Nov 202038min

Dr. Anne Atkinson, president and founder of PolicyWorks, Ltd. & Debbie Riley, LCMFT, CEO of the Center for Adoption Support and Education, discuss the importance of providing adoption competent mental health care to all members of the adoption triad. They begin by explaining what is meant by adoption competency and outline two post-graduate programs that have been developed, the Training in Adoption Competency curriculum and the web-based National Training Initiative. They describe the research that has been done to rigorously evaluate the trainings in terms of their impact on mental health practitioners knowledge and practice as well as outcomes for adoptive families. They end by summarizing important policy initiatives that can continue to grow an adoption competent mental health workforce. For more information on this episode and a transcript visit emilyhelder.com

16 Nov 202039min

Dr. Mary Hansen, professor of Economics at American University, describes her research and policy work in the area of child welfare. She outlines the important ethical tensions inherent in adoption and ways that an economic lens is helpful in understanding and seeking to balance these tradeoffs. She reviews various changes in adoption law and policy and their impact on international and domestic adoption. She then discusses efforts to improve child welfare policy to remove barriers to permanency for children in foster care and promote positive outcomes through standardizing home study processes across states. For a transcript and more information visit emilyhelder.com.

2 Nov 202017min

Dr. Hanna Raaska, Chief Physician at the Pediatric Neuropsychiatric Unit at Helsinki University Hospital in Finland and member of the Finnish Adoption Study Group, discusses her research regarding behavioral and emotional outcomes among internationally adopted children and the ways that adoptive families can promote resilience and positive outcomes. For a transcript and more information visit: https://emilyhelder.com

26 Okt 202020min

Dr. Darcey Merritt & Rachel Ludeke, LMSW discuss their research regarding post-adoption services, identifying ways that service needs may vary based on adoption type (private infant, domestic foster care, international). They outline barriers that exist for accessing various post-adoption services and also ways that these services could be improved. They highlight the importance of ensuring that the preferences and experiences of adopted and foster youth take center stage in the creation and implementation of services. Throughout the interview, they examine the many ways that race and class intersect within adoption, and child welfare more generally. For a transcript and more information visit emilyhelder.com

19 Okt 202036min