International Adoption Net

09/03/2026

Here are five books in our library that we often recommend to pre-adoptive and adoptive families:

1. The Connected Child — Karyn Purvis, David Cross & Wendy Lyons Sunshine. Practical, trauma-informed strategies for building trust, connection, and felt safety.

2. The Complete Book of International Adoption — Dawn Davenport. A helpful overview of the international adoption process, preparation, and common challenges.

3. Adopting the Hurt Child — Gregory Keck & Regina Kupecky
Helps parents understand how early trauma, neglect, and loss can affect behavior and relationships.

4. Attaching in Adoption — Deborah Gray. A deeper look at attachment and how parents can help children build secure family relationships.

5. Toddler Adoption: The Weaver’s Craft — Mary Hopkins-Best
Especially useful for families adopting toddlers and young children navigating grief, attachment, and transition.

At IAN, we believe well-prepared parents are better equipped to understand and support their children after adoption.

What adoption book have you read and recommend?

09/02/2026

India Adoption for Families of Indian Heritage

International Adoption Net works with many families of Indian heritage who are pursuing adoption from India. For these families, adopting from India can offer an especially meaningful connection to culture, family history, language, traditions, and community.

Indian heritage may also affect some aspects of the adoption process under current CARA rules. Depending on a family’s circumstances and eligibility, Indian-heritage applicants may have opportunities to be considered for younger children who are categorized as healthy or without significant special needs. It is important to understand, however, that “healthy” does not necessarily mean a child has no medical or developmental concerns. A child may still have a history of low birth weight, malnutrition, anemia, developmental delays, previous medical issues, or other minor needs. Families should also be prepared for potentially long wait times for these referrals.

While Indian heritage can be a wonderful resource for an adopted child, it does not remove the requirements or preparation involved in international adoption. Families must still meet applicable eligibility requirements, complete a Hague-compliant home study and required pre-adoption education, receive U.S. immigration approval, and prepare carefully for the needs of the individual child they may adopt.

Understanding current CARA requirements, realistic referral expectations, and possible timelines is an important part of deciding whether India adoption is right for your family. That's where the team at IAN steps in!

IAN’s experienced India team helps families understand the current process, requirements, referral possibilities, and what they can realistically expect throughout their adoption journey.

Interested in adopting from India? Contact us to discuss whether the program may be a good fit for your family.

[email protected] | 303-691-0808

09/01/2026

Why Safety & Regulation are Necessary Before Correcting Your Child

A child can be physically safe and still not *feel* safe. Parents may even tell their child "you're safe now" but feeling it is different.

For a child with a history of trauma, loss, or disrupted caregiving, seemingly ordinary experiences—new adults, unfamiliar foods, bedtime, closed doors, touch, transitions, or being told “no”—may activate a survival response.

When a child’s nervous system senses danger, even when no actual danger exists, reasoning, language, and self-control become much harder. Trying to correct behavior in that moment may simply add more stress.

This is why trauma-informed parenting focuses first on helping a child feel safe and regulated. Predictable routines, calm voices, fewer words, appropriate choices, visual schedules, and consistent follow-through can help. Parents can also lower stimulation, regulate their own tone and emotions, and help the child return to calm before addressing what happened.

Once the nervous system settles, there is more capacity for connection, teaching, problem-solving, and repair.

Over time, repeated experiences of safety and responsive caregiving help children learn that their environment—and the adults caring for them—can be trusted. Cooperation often grows from that sense of safety, rather than creating it.

IAN’s pre-adoption education helps families understand trauma, survival responses, emotional regulation, felt safety, and practical trauma-informed parenting strategies. Our post-adoption services are also available as families navigate their child’s needs over time.

To learn more about IAN’s pre-adoption education and to start your adoption, contact [email protected] or call 303-691-0808.

08/31/2026

Home Studies: What Social Workers Are Looking For

A home study is not a search for a flawless family—and you are not expected to have all the “right” answers.

Home study social workers are looking at the bigger picture: safety, stability, honesty, sound judgment, healthy relationships, realistic expectations, adequate resources, a strong support system, and a willingness to learn and prepare for adoption.

Families sometimes worry that a past difficulty, family issue, medical concern, or other challenge will automatically prevent them from adopting. Often, concerns are much easier to address when they are discussed openly and early rather than trying to present a perfect version of yourself.

The home study process is also an opportunity to ask questions, prepare for parenting through adoption, and make sure your family is ready for the adoption path you are pursuing.

International Adoption Net provides domestic and international home study services for Colorado residents.

Need a Colorado home study? Contact IAN to learn more about the process and how we can support your adoption, [email protected] or call 303-691-0808.

08/29/2026

08/27/2026

IAN's India Experience: More Than One in Four U.S. India Adoptions were by IAN

In fiscal year 2025, the U.S. Department of State recently reported 187 adoptions from India to the United States. Based on IAN’s reported case count, 48 of those adoptions were completed through International Adoption Net—more than one in four.

This demonstrates that IAN's experience, knowledge and reputation matters and it makes a difference to our adoptive families and those considering adoption in India.

India adoption involves many moving parts, including CARA and CARINGS, Hague and USCIS requirements, referrals, child-specific education, court and immigration steps, travel, and post-adoption requirements. Families benefit from working with an experienced team that understands the process in detail and works with it every day.

IAN’s experience reflects focused program knowledge, long-standing relationships, and a team that understands the questions, decisions, paperwork, waiting, and unexpected changes families may encounter from the beginning of the process through post-adoption.

Numbers are only part of the story, but they do reflect experience. For families considering adoption from India, that experience can make a meaningful difference in the guidance and support they receive along the way.

Considering adoption from India? Contact International Adoption Net to learn more about our India Adoption Program and current requirements.

[email protected] | 303-691-0808

08/26/2026

What Families Commonly Experience During India Adoption

India adoption follows a structured process, but that does not mean every step happens on a predictable timeline.

Families often experience periods of intense paperwork followed by waiting. And waiting. A referral may require careful review, further research, and important decisions. Timelines can change, and later steps may depend on several different authorities in India and the United States before a family is able to travel and bring their child home.

That uncertainty can be one of the harder parts for prospective adopting families during their adoption abroad.

At IAN, we believe families should understand not only **what happens next**, but also which parts of the process can be estimated and which are outside the control of the family—or the agency.

Our experienced India team guides families through CARA and CARINGS in India, USCIS and Hague requirements, referrals and child-specific education, court and immigration steps, travel, and post-adoption requirements. Along the way, we provide realistic expectations, explain changes when they occur, and help families prepare for each next step.

Considering adoption from India? Contact International Adoption Net to learn more about our flagship India Adoption Program and whether it may be a good fit for your family.

[email protected] | 303-691-0808

08/25/2026

Tonight! Adoption Education: In*******al Families — Building Supportive Communities. Register Today!

In*******al adoption is a complex, lifelong process that requires more than placement stability and good intentions. It calls for intentional, informed practice that recognizes the central role of race, identity development, and systemic inequities in shaping adoptee outcomes.

In*******al adoption places children in a social and psychological “space in between” where connection or disconnection is shaped by the quality of preparation, support, and community surrounding them. Parents play a critical role in either lessening or reinforcing that experience through their willingness to learn, advocate, and continue to connect with their children as they navigate the lifelong journey of adoption.

This training series by the Center for Adoption Support & Education is designed to support adoptive parents and caregivers in building the knowledge and skills needed to care for children across racial and cultural differences. It focuses not just on good intentions, but on developing culturally responsive, thoughtful, and accountable caregiving practices.

WHEN: Tonight, August 25, 2026
TIME: 7:00 – 8:30PM EST
WHERE: ZOOM
COST: $20
REGISTER at CASE: https://adoptionsupport.org/webinars/
You may register for the rest of the series or other courses at the link above.

*******alAdoption

08/25/2026

Supporting Children Who Have Experienced Institutional Care

Children who have spent time in institutional care may come home with needs that are not always immediately visible, and likely were not documented as such in their referral history. Their early experiences can affect attachment and relationships, sensory processing, nutrition, sleep, language, physical and emotional development, attention, and their ability to trust and feel safe.

Children can make tremendous progress after joining a permanent, nurturing family, but development is rarely perfectly linear—and every child’s needs and timeline are different.

Responsive caregiving, predictable routines, patience, realistic expectations, and early intervention when needed can make an important difference. Parents may also need to adjust traditional parenting approaches as they learn what helps their individual child feel safe, connected, and supported.

IAN’s pre-adoption education helps families understand the possible effects of institutional care and prepares parents for areas such as attachment, developmental delays, sensory needs, nutrition, sleep, grief and loss, trauma, and emotional regulation.

Support should not end when a child comes home. IAN’s offers post-adoption resources which are available to help families navigate needs that may emerge as their child grows.

Contact International Adoption Net to learn more about our pre-adoption education and post-adoption support services, [email protected] or call 303-691-0808