The Adoption Network: Your Guide to Starting a Support System [Paperback]

Laura Christianson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2007

Do you desire to start a support network for those in your church and community whose lives are impacted by adoption?

In The Adoption Network, Laura Christianson, founder and director of Seattle-based Heartbeat Ministries, walks you through the basics of planning and launching a support system for adoptive families, foster families, birth parents or adoptees. You’ll learn how to:

Develop a mission statement
Plan a budget
Recruit leadership
Reach out to the community
Create workshops, support groups, social events, mentoring programs and more
Packed with practical pointers and worksheets, this handbook will equip you with the tools you need to create a vibrant adoption support network.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Laura Christianson shares her passion for adoption with a worldwide audience through her award-winning “Exploring Adoption” blog. An adoptive mom, Laura founded Heartbeat Ministries, a Christian support network for adoptive families. She is a popular speaker at adoption events and writers’ conferences. Laura lives in Snohomish, Washington with her husband, Robert and their two sons.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: WinePress Publishing (July 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579219020
• ISBN-13: 978-1579219024
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,224,257 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #15 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Parenting & Families > Adoption

More About the Author

Laura's career includes stints as a high school Journalism/English teacher, corporate communications director, freelance journalist, and award-winning blogger.

She's the author of three books and hundreds of articles, including a monthly "Relationship Marketing" column in the Snohomish County Business Journal (WA).

Laura owns Blogging Bistro (www.bloggingbistro.com), a company that helps people enhance their Internet presence through Web sites, blogs, Twitter, and Facebook.

Mentoring emerging writers and pre-adoptive parents energizes Laura, as does swimming, rollerblading, walking, photography, and camping with her family. She lives in the Seattle area with her husband and their two sons.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The only book on adoption support groups you will ever need, October 22, 2007

By 

J. Thomas (Middleburg Heights, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Adoption Network: Your Guide to Starting a Support System (Paperback)

Having been involved in adoptions and adoption groups for a long time, being a former adoption social worker and an adoptive mother of 2 daughters from China, I can not recommend this book highly enough. The Adoption Network: Your Guide to Starting a Support System, by Laura Christianson, is a must read for anyone interested in adoption. Her extensive background and expertise in adoptions becomes obvious in the topics that are covered and the detail that she includes. This book is written in a very organized and concise manner, with an easy to follow format. In addition to discussing the needs for, and the types of, adoption group support networks, the author covers in great detail all of the steps needed to start your own adoption support network. She includes step by step information in areas such as targeting the audience for a support network, soliciting support, planning a budget, and recruiting leadership. She then details other important components for adoption support networks such as building a resource library, developing a mentoring program, developing online connections, social events and workshops. She further includes information on training church leaders, educating the faith community and how to publicize your adoption network. The appendix is filled with resources for lauching an adoption support network and internet resources for further research and education. The author has also included handy checklists and worksheets that make the guide so simple to use and follow. All the information you will ever need is laid out step by step in a clear, easy to follow format that anyone can use successfully. This handy guide is simple enough that any layperson or adoptive parent either within or outside of the church community could easily set up their own support network. Are you an adoptive parent feeling isolated with no readily available supports? Get this book and start your own support group. Are you a member of a church who is sensitive to providing support for adoptive parents and encouragement for adoption? This book is all you will need to provide that support network. Are you part of a parent's or children's group that would like to include support for adoptive families in your community? Get this guide. After reading this book, which is also especially motivating, you will be ready to run right out and start your own support group immediately.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Resource, January 10, 2008

By 

Leigh Stevens (Saba, Netherlands-Antilles) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Adoption Network: Your Guide to Starting a Support System (Paperback)

This book has been an answered prayer! My husband and I have created a non-profit organization that offers financial grants to adoptive families. As we are in the early stages of setting up our organization, this book was extremely helpful in guiding us towards our goals. This book is very informative and a must have for anyone interested in adoption or adoption ministries.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Resource!, January 27, 2008

By 

D. S. Clark "and his lovely wife" (The South) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Adoption Network: Your Guide to Starting a Support System (Paperback)

Having been a foster parent for a year and now pursuing an international adoption, I have come to appreciate the value of having a strong support system when embarking upon this new journey. It is my desire to also be a support to others who are starting this process and I've wondered where in the world I would begin to find information on how to go about that. This book is the place!

Each section is dedicated to a different aspect of support and gives many practical ideas for those desiring to start their own support team. At the end of every segment, there is also a worksheet that asks questions to help you get started. Whether you want to start out small with a resource library (as the author's group did) or you desire a multi-faceted approach for your church, I would highly recommend this book for inspiration and creative ideas. There is also a list of helpful resources and websites in the back of the book to further you along in your journey.

This is a quick read, a highly practical and useful tool for any who may be interested in starting their own support network.