Check out our new unplanned pregnancy community website. Find support and informative articles about unplanned pregnancy.

Adoption Blogs

Adoptees
Birth Parents
Adoptive Parenting
Foster Care

adoption glossary

Currently 5/5 Stars.

You may use the stars on the left to rate and leave feedback for the current article. No registration is required. Waiting for 5 votes

The largest glossary of adoption-related terminology

NOTICE: By using the adoption glossary you agree to our terms of service

Abandonment
Abuse
Access Veto Reunion Registry

Access Veto
Active Reunion Registry
ADD
ADHD
Adoptee
Adoption Agencies
Adoption Assistance
Adoption Attorney
Adoption Benefits
Adoption Certificate
Adoption Certification
Adoption Circle
Adoption Consultant
Adoption Decree
Adoption Disruption
Adoption Dissolution
Adoption Exchanges
Adoption Expense Tax Exclusion
Adoption Facilitator
Adoption Insurance
Adoption Petition
Adoption Placement
Adoption Plan
Adoption Records
Adoption Reversal
Adoption Search
Adoption Service Provider
Adoption Subsidy
Adoption Tax Credit
Adoption Tax Exclusions
Adoption Tax Identification Number
Adoption Triangle or Adoption Triad
Adoption
Adoptive Parents
Adult Adoption
AFDC
Affidavit
Agency Adoptions
Aid For Dependent Children
Alcohol-Related Birth Defects
Amended Birth Certificate
Annotated Statutes
Anti-Social Behavior
Apostille
Arrearage
ART
Artificial Insemination
Artificial Reproductive Technologies
Assisted Reproductive Technologies (or ART)
ATIN
Attachment
Attention Deficit Disorder
Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder
Autism
Autistic Disorder
Benefit Package
Bipolar Disorder
Biracial Adoptions
Birth Father
Birth Mother
Birth Parent
Black Market Adoptions
Black Market Babies
Boarder Babies
Bonding
CAPD
Caseworker
Central Auditory Processing Disorder
Cerebral Palsy
Certificate of Adoption
Certification
Child Abuse
Child Neglect
Child Support Arrearages
Closed Adoptions
Concurrent Planning
Conduct Disorder
Confidential Adoptions
Confidential Intermediary
Confidentiality
Consent to Adopt
Conservator
Cooperative Adoption
Co-Parenting
CP
Custodial Parent
Custody
De Facto Adoption
De Facto
Decree of Adoption
Department of Vital Records
Dependent Child
Developmental Disability
Disclosed Adoption
Disclosure
Disruption
Dissolution
DNA Testing
Domestic Adoption
Dossier
Down Syndrome
Emotional Disturbance
Employer Adoption Benefit Package
Employer Assistance
Equitable Adoption
Extended Family
Facilitators
FAE
Family Preservation
FAS
Fetal Alcohol Effect
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Fictive Kin
Filiation
Finalization Hearing
Finalization
Form I-600 and Form I-600A Visa Petitions
Foster-Adoption
Foster Care
Foster Children
Foster/Adoption Placements
Foster Parents
GAL
Genealogy
Grief
Group Home
Guardian Ad Litem
Guardian
Home Study
I-600
I-600A

ICAMA
ICPC
ICWA
Identified Adoptions
Identifying Information
IEP
Immediate Family
Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)

In Vitro Fertilization
Independent Adoptions
Independent Contractors
Independent Living
Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978
Individualized Educational Plan
Infertility
INS
Institutionalization
Inter-Country Adoption
Inter-Ethnic Placement
International Adoptions
Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance (ICAMA)
Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC)
Interstate Compact
Irrevocable Consent
Jurisdiction
Kinship Care
Learning Disabilities
Legal Custody
Legal Guardian
Legal Publication
Legal Risk Adoptions
Legal Risk Placement
Legally Free
Life Book
Long-Term Foster Care
Loss
Mainstreaming
Maltreatment
Matching
Maternity Home
Mental Retardation
MEPA
Multiethnic Adoptions
Multi-Ethnic Placement Act of 1994
Multiracial Adoptions
Neglect
Non-Identifying Information
Non-Recurring Adoption-Related Expenses
Non-Relative Adoption
Notice of Hearing
Occupational Therapy
Open Adoption Records
Open Adoption
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Original Birth Certificate
Orphan
Orphanage
Parens Patriae
Parent Profile
Parental Rights
Passive Registries
Paternity Testing
Paternity
Permanency Planning
Petition to Adopt
Photo Profile
Photolisting Book
Placement Date
Placement
Post-Institutionalized Child
Post-Legal Adoption Services
Post-Reunion Issues
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-Adoption Period
Post-Placement Report
Post-Placement Supervision
Pre-Adoption Certification
Prenatal Substance Exposure
Pre-Placement Period
Presumed Father
Private Adoption Agency
Psychological Parent
Public Adoption Agency
Putative Father Registry
Putative Father
prenatal substance Exposure
RAD
Reactive Attachment Disorder (or RAD)
Re-Adoption
Rebuttable Presumption
Relative Adoptions
Relinquishment
Residential Care Facility
Residential Treatment
Respite Care
Reunification Services
Reunification
Reunion Registry
Reunion Search
Reunion
Reversal
Revocation
Ritalin
Sealed Adoption Records
Search and Consent Procedures
Semi-Open Adoptions
Severance of Parental Rights
Sexual Abuse Symptomology
Sexual Abuse
Special Needs Children
Special Needs
Speech and Language Disorders
Statutes
Stepparent Adoption
Substitute Care
Suitability Study
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Surrender Papers
Surrender
Surrogacy Court
Surrogate Mother
System
Tax Exclusion for Adoption Benefits
Termination of Parental Rights (TPR)
Therapeutic Foster Home
Tourette's Syndrome
TPR
Traditional Adoption
Trans-Racial Adoptions
Treatment Foster Home
Triad
Voluntary Adoption Registry
Voluntary Reunion Registry
Waiting Children
Wrongful Adoption

Corrections, additions, other terms? Send us your feedback.

Pamela Slaton, Locator

California

California Adoption Resources

CA Adoption Profiles

CA Adoption Attorneys

Change Location

Specifying your location helps us to provide resources and information specific to your area. To specify your location, use the 'Settings' tab at the bottom right of the page.

Selected Adoption Articles

Staff Picks