Some links and description of how they might be interesting or useful :)

In the fast changing times and with new definitions, meanings, and structures to family, people whose marital status is single and choose to adopt should not be discriminated against when trying to adopt a child and should have the same chances as a couple would when trying to adopt.

"Adoption Faq.". Department of Social Services, 

 <http://www.childsworld. c a.gov/PG1302.htm>. This article is from the state of California and it goes over what it takes to adopt a child, the kind of process a person or couple might go through, how to find a child and even gives a few generalizations about how much it might cost someone to adopt a child. It gives a good definition of adoption when it says “Adoption is a legal process which permanently gives parental rights to adoptive parents. Adoption means taking a child into your home as a permanent family member. It means caring for and guiding children through their growing years and giving them the love and understanding they need to develop their full potential.” It talks about how single parent adoption is not illegal but it usually looked at as a absolute last resort and at times the single parents are looked over and are moved to the bottom of the list of potential adopters and the children end up staying in the foster care system, which will just cost the state more. If we were to create a law giving a single person the same rights as a couple when it comes to adopting there would be a lot less children in the foster care system or even if we could just see what a prominent change in the definition of family has occurred then maybe single people who chose to live their life against social norms can adopt without having to jump through hoops just to become a parent.

"Adoption: Single with Children."Single Parenting and Adoption. Family Education,<http://life.familyeducation.com/adoption/nontraditional-families/45788.html>.

This article starts out pointing out the point that single parent adoption isn’t illegal but how it is looked down upon by many adoption agencies it says this by saying, “Every state in the United States allows single people to adopt. As a result, marital status isn't a legal barrier to adopting a child anywhere at least, not officially. Many adoption agencies and attorneys, however, still perceive the married couple as the ideal choice for the children they place. So sometimes the single man or woman drops to the end of the adoption line when it comes to priorities”. This quote is the basis for what I want to make known in society about how it’s not illegal but still looked down upon because it is not up to our usual norms. This article also has a pros and cons list of adoption while you are single. It gives a lot of good information about why a single person may or may not want to adopt when they are single. This article though not academic in nature still gives a lot of insight because it does look at both sides of the controversy.

Baker, Joshua K. "Marital Preference in Adoption Law: All 50 States.". <http://www.marriagedebate.com/pdf/iMAPPmarriage.adoption.pdf>.In this article it gives a break down or comparison of each state and its laws on adoption. It states that currently the only state with a law against single parent adoption is the state of Utah which states a preference of a married couple when adopting. It also states how some states have in fact made laws that keep adoption agencies from discriminating against single people who are adopting. Which leads one to think why not make it a federal law instead of just by state. It also goes over saying that adoption laws are put into place to protect the child and to ensure the adoptive parent’s rights are protected. This article also states that how single parenting might not be ideal but in most cases it is better for the child to have a single adoptive parent then to have no parent at all. This article is very both sided and adds a lot of interesting things to be brought up.

Devin, Joseph. "Single Parent Adoption."Parenting: Single Parent Blog. . <http://singleparent-s.blogspot.com/2009/12/single-parent-adoption.html>.

This is a blog that goes over the process of adoption and what a perspective parent can look forward to when it comes to adoption. It also goes over frequently asked questions about adoption to help put to rest the myths that come with single parent adoption but again since this is a blog it can be biased and not all experiences are going to be the same so everything in there may not be as accurate as would be ideal, but at the same time it is important to see someone’s experiences and know what kind of barriers can be expected when trying to adopt when your single. It even says in there that the most important and first thing that anyone adopting needs to do is research which is what looking at these blogs and legal documents is.

Doughterty, Sharon Ann. "Single Adoptive Mothers and Their Children." National Association of Social Workers <http://ezproxy.missouriwestern.edu:38 26/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=55cdd2d9-daef- 4413-ae17-7a077eb9ab81%40sessionmgr115&vid=1&hid=110>. This article is more specific to women and what type of women are single parent adopting and some of the common characteristics that those women have in common. It also goes on to talk about how most of the time the women that want to adopt are more than capable and financially stable enough to adopt and are choosing the choice of parenthood and its rewards and also accepting the financial and emotional burden that comes with raising a child. But, still many more are still at the bottom of the list when it comes to trying to get a child. It goes on to say that a single parent house hold can be just as good as any dual parent household can be. Now this is an older academic journal but it is still important to see the way things used to be compared to the way they are now to see how society’s views can change over time along with the change in what it means to be a family.

Groze, Vic. "Adoption And Single Parents: A Review." Child Welfare 70.3 (1991): 

 In This literary review he discusses what a single adoptive parent is and what are some of the characteristics of the single adoptive parents are. They also go over facts like the fact that single people are more likely to adopt older children which is a lot harder to find homes for these children and kids with special needs. Groze also talks about many studies done to show that children who are adopted by single people go through all the same growth and learning rates as children who went to dual parent households. He also quotes a longitudinal study of single adoptive parents by saying, “That adoption, particularly adoption by a single person, was an appropriate strategy for these children who could not grow up with biological parents. These adoptive homes provided continuity and stability, the family systems showed strength and changed appropriately, and most adopted children did well.” It also concludes by saying “Here is strong evidence that single-parent families can meet the needs of some children now denied adoption and assist the child welfare system in providing permanent homes for children waiting for adoptive placement.” Which is a point that many people need to realize but is often just looked over because it is not considered to be the ‘norm’ of society.

Hanson, Shirley M.H., and Michael J. Sporakowski. Single Parent Families. Family Relations. <http://ezproxy.missouriwestern.edu:3826/ehost/pdfviewer/

pdfviewer?sid=b8fbad15-17a1-403d-9d5e-985b072fdf7%40sessionmgr114&vid=1&hid=110>. In this article it goes over what different types of families there are out there and more specifically the single parent families are out there and how they either become single or chose to be single. It goes over a lot of information about what single people go through not just single adoptive parents, because when it gets down to it a single adoptive parent is still a single parent. It compares adoptive, divorced, and just single parent families with the pros and cons for all types. It also tells about commonly misunderstood facts about single parenting and what the truth behind those misunderstood facts is and why people assume these misinterpretations.

Howe, Ruth- Arlene W, "Adoption Practice, Issues and Laws 1958-1983." Boston College Law School <http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi ?article=1047&context=ruth-arlene_howe&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fscholar.google.com%2Fscholar%3Fstart%3D10%26q%3D%2522single%2Bparent%2Badoption%2522%26hl%3Den%26as_sdt%3D0%2C26#search=%22single %20parent%20adoption%22>. This shows a lot of different views of adoption and some of the practices and issues with adoption that many people don't realize. It shows some history of adoption and its practices and the history of adoption and social work practices and its involvement in the adoption process. It basically gives a lot of different information on adoption whether it is about single parent or dual-parent adoption so you can see the differences and similarities between the two. It also talks about some of the older adoption laws and how they have changed over time and how they could change more in the future. If more people could see how the definition of what it means to be a family has changed and let go of the single parent stigma, single parent adoptions could be more predominate in society if allowed to be.

Reitz, Miriam, “Groundswell Change in Adoption Requires Anchoring by Research.” Child and

Adolescent Social Work Journal

<http://ezproxy.missouriwestern.edu:3826/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=b2e038f8-0312-48d7-9a47-6450f3fc0ba4%40sessionmgr114&vid=1&hid=110>. This article reviews changes in adoption laws in 1999. Things have changed a little since then which goes to show that times have changed and the definition of family has changed so it’s time that we make a law or change our viewpoint on single parenting so that it protects single people when it comes to them wanting to make the decision to adopt. I think it’s good to show how things were and compare them to how they are now and how they could be in the future. It could also give everyone a look at what could happen if things were changed and people were more accepting to the changing society.

Riley, Tracy. "The Adoption Authority." 

  <http://theadoptionauthority.blogspot.com/2009/04/im-not-married-can-i-still-adopt.html>.

This is a blog about adoption, so it does have a lot of different opinions in the comments and the blog writings. It does tend to lean more toward the side of being against single parent adoption which is good to show both sides but does however make it pretty biases which are needed since the argument is for single parent adoption so you want to see why people would be against. It does however give some reasons as to why someone would want to adopt when they are single but since it is a blog the information can be inaccurate and biased and cannot be fully trusted as being reliable.

Wilcox, W. Bradford, and Robin Fretwell Wilson. "Bringing Up Baby: Adoption, Marriage and the Best Interest of the Child."

 . edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi? article=1128&context=fac_pubs&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fscholar.google .com %2Fscholar%3Fstart%3D20%26q%3D%2522single%2Bparent%2Badoption%2522%2It6hl %3Den%26as_sdt%3D0%2C26#search=%22single%20parent%20adoption%22> 

  In this article it is concentrating more on what is in the best interest of the child when it comes to adoption. It does say that the ideal place would be with biological parents if at all possible or some other family member. But it also looks at the laws that are keeping some children in foster care and out of potential adoptive homes which would be what is second best to being with the biological parents. It does go over a lot of facts that compare adoption and it does say what can be good and bad about it. This would be best used to talk about positives in adoption in the best interest of a child. It brings up having one parent can be better than having no parent when it comes to a child because children need the security of a home so it gives you a lot to think about.