California Adoption Law and Procedure explains the law governing contested adoptions. It covers the four types of adoptions (independent, agency, stepparent and intercountry), and briefly discusses those aspects of guardianship and juvenile dependency law which relate to adoptions. This book explores the "best interests of the child" and the home study process. It also seeks to explain "consent," whose consent must be obtained, and whether consent may be revoked. The book further describes the roles of attorneys, adoption service providers, adoption facilitators, adoption agencies and governmental agencies. It seeks to clarify the rights of the adoptive parents, the child, and of third parties, whether or not a Postadoption Contact Agreement is in place. This text discusses interstate conflicts and how laws such as the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act operate. It also covers the new federal statutes and regulations which implement the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. Prof. Everett L. Skillman is a member of the adjunct faculty at the University of San Diego School of Law. He and his wife Shelley were foster parents for three years and adoptive parents for 12 years after that. At seminars conducted by social services agencies and private agencies, Prof. Skillman had the good fortune of meeting many wonderful, committed fellow foster parents, and learning how they overcame a wide variety of challenges. Prof. Skillman has been licensed to practice law since 1990; he has taught several courses on Adoption Law; he has helped many others complete their adoptions; and he has been certified since 2000 by the California State Bar as a specialist in appellate law.

"Children of Dreams" is borne out of Lorilyn Roberts' shattered dreams. The inspiring story of turning stolen dreams into life-changing hope not only for her but two destitute children will bring tears to the reader as he identifies with her feelings of insecurity and fear. The timeless theme of God's faithfulness-the stuff out of which God brings redemption-will leave the reader riveted to the pages of this book. "Children of Dreams" is more than an adoption story set in the remotest regions of the planet. Facing insurmountable odds-communist blockades, life-threatening illness, betrayal and deceit-Lorilyn Roberts' courage and determination never to give up will touch the reader. Despair transformed into heavenly joy and evil overcome by God's redemptive love will inspire even the most skeptical to believe in miracles. "Children of Dreams" resonates with Biblical truth at a deep level and in a sense is everyone's story. Timeless in nature, "Children of Dreams" is sure to be a favorite adoption story for years to come. Ms. Roberts is intimately familiar with adoption, having also been adopted as a child, and is able to present the spirit of adoption, as never before captured, in this tender story. Comparing the adoption of her daughters to her adoption by the heavenly Father throughout the story flows naturally.

"The Names of My Mothers" is the touching story of the tender and all-too-brief relationship forged late in life between Dianne Riordan (nee Susanne Sanders) and her birth mother. In 1942 Elizabeth Bynam Sanders was a young woman who left home under false pretenses and travelled to Our Lady of Victory, a home for unwed mothers in upstate New York. Shortly after surrendering her daughter for adoption, she returned to her life in Johnston County, North Carolina. She never married and never had another child of her own. This powerful and moving memoir speaks of the profound need for connection. It is a story about identity, the hunger we feel for a sense of belonging and the ineffable significance of blood.

"I didn't know if I could be a mother. I wasn't sure if I even wanted to be a mother. Nothing in my upbringing seemed to support motherhood." So begins Corinne Chateau's odyssey to claim the mother in herself and embark upon an unexpected journey that will lead her to a child in the distant Republic of Georgia.The Road to Cali is about not giving up. It is the story of a rescue--of both a child and oneself.

In a family memoir that reads like a detective novel, Rhonda Noonan recounts her thirty-year quest to find the truth of her own background-and what she uncovered will surprise readers as much as it did her. Rhonda was born and adopted in Oklahoma, a state with closed adoption records. And, although she was cherished by her adoptive family, she-like so many adoptees-felt a burning desire to find and make contact with her birth parents. Her three-decade-long search involved institutional stonewalling; the intervention of numerous judges, attorneys, and detectives; mountains of paperwork and court filings, and thousands of dollars in expenses. Tirelessly tracking down lead after lead-and with the otherworldly help of a friend named Lillie-Rhonda finally unearthed her true history. Her father was none other than Randolph Churchill, son of Sir Winston Churchill. The State Department of Human Services and the FBI laid down an intricate cover-up, with Averell Harriman and President Truman on the periphery. The evidence was clear-there was no question in her mind (though her efforts to secure incontrovertible proof in the form of a DNA test were stymied by the Churchill family). Rhonda had gone about finding her heritage just as her paternal grandfather had conducted his military campaigns: relentlessly and with no small amount of courage. Like him, she triumphed. The events leading up to her discovery, as well as the aftermath of the astonishing revelation and her face-to-face confrontation of the Churchills, will leave you in awe of this intrepid heroine of her own life. As full of twists, turns, and suspense as the best fiction, The Fifth and Final Name should prove inspiring to all who yearn to uncover the secrets buried within their own family histories.

Martin was only 7 years old when he arrived in Canada in 1892, with a contingent of young British orphans. Not only did the young boy just lose his father, but this death had brought about the dismantling of his whole family and, when he emigrated to another country, this enhanced his feeling of being a bird "fallen from the nest."

His adoptive parents, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Vzina of Ste Genevive de Batiscan were warm-hearted, and they did all they could to recreate for him a happy home, which greatly helped the young immigrant to slip into his new life. But, so many obstacles strew his path!

First, he had to learn French and then be accepted by his schoolmates, some of whom considered the arrival of this newcomer as a threat. And this was just the beginning!

A personal account of infertility, IVF & adoption. 'After three years and a total of nine embryo transfers, Glenn and I are hanging up our saddles ... For many, three years might seem an insufficient effort, but I am tired. My body is tired, my mind is tired and most of all my heart is tired. I still believe that IVF is a modern, medical miracle ... But I no longer believe it will be our miracle.' What happens when the quest for a family seems to bring only tears and despair? As Kylie and her husband Glenn discovered you simply pick yourself up, take a deep breath and carry on. 'As harsh as it seems, the adoption process in Western Australia can only be described as excruciating: intrusive, intense, bureaucratic and judgemental.' Kylie's struggle to conquer the intricacies and inconsistencies of the adoption process push both her and Glenn to the limits of their endurance, and just when all seems lost they are handed a lifeline that sees their hope of becoming parents flicker back to life. 'Is it bad news?' 'No, it is very good news ... we have a baby for you, a little boy.' Honest, perceptive and deeply personal 'From Here to Maternity' is a warm and ultimately joyful story about one couple's determination to overcome infertility and bureaucracy and become a family against all the odds.