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Publications for Professionals

The National Resource Center for Recruitment and Retention of Foster and Adoptive Parents at AdoptUsKids (NRCRRFAP), along with the other AdoptUsKids partners, has developed a number of valuable resources to enhance and support the efforts of States, Tribes and Territories in recruiting and retaining foster, adoptive, relative and kin parents.


These publications are available for free in PDF format below or in print by sending us an order form (73 KB PDF). Please read our publication ordering policy for more information.


General Recruitment Toolkits and Resource Guides

Match more waiting children with adoptive families by making the most of your recruitment and retention efforts using these toolkits and resource guides.


  • Lasting Impressions: A Guide for Photolisting Children (615 KB PDF)
    • Provides tips and worksheets on how to take photos and write descriptions for photolisting children in print or online
    • Shares best practices on how to prepare a child, their caregiver and others for the photolisting experience
  • 2009 National Adoption Month Recruitment & Marketing Toolkit (1 MB PDF)
    • Suggestions for working with the media to raise awareness about adoption
    • Sample press releases that you can personalize for your community
    • Ideas and tips for planning special events to celebrate National Adoption Month
    • Suggestions for generating community support for waiting children
    • Strategies for preparing your agency’s response when prospective adoptive parents contact you

Targeted Recruitment Tips and Resources

  • Wherever My Family Is, That's Home! Adoption Services for Military Families (1.5 MB PDF)
    • Provides a roadmap to make quality and timely adoption services readily available for military families
    • Focuses on what adoption agencies and military personnel can do to prepare and help military families on their journey to adopt children, including their relatives’ children, from foster care

Interstate Adoption Guides and Checklists


Research and Government Reports

  • Barriers and Success Factors in Adoption from Foster Care: Perspectives of Families and Staff (1.2 MB PDF)

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    This report (video presentation to the right) presents findings of two research studies conducted by Dr. Ruth McRoy's research team at the University of Texas at Austin Center for Social Work Research. These studies included the same participants spanning the first five years of the AdoptUsKids project (2002-07). Findings from the two studies focused on:

    • Barriers experienced by a nationwide group of families seeking to adopt children from the U.S. foster care system
    • Factors that contribute to successful adoption outcomes for families adopting children from foster care

You can also read our full report to Congress about these studies or watch a video presentation of the report.


Free, Personalized Consulting Available

We can provide free, personalized consulting services to States, Tribes and Territories to help increase the effectiveness of your recruitment and retention efforts. Find out more about our training and technical assistance.


If you have any questions about these publications and services or need additional information, please contact us at 1-888-200-4005 or professionals@adoptuskids.org.