Responding to Illegal Adoptions: a Professional Handbook

This handbook is structured around four main Chapters, each focusing on the potential responses available to a finding of an illegal adoption from a specific standpoint: legal, psychosocial, social and political. Personal testimonies are woven into the Chapters, highlighting the harsh reality, challenges and achievements of those most affected. Likewise, multiple promising practices illustrating initiatives to address potential difficulties successfully, creatively and sustainably, are provided. The professional handbook does not, of course, purport to have an answer to every situation, but it does provide numerous avenues for dealing with feelings such as anger, grief, regret, disappointment and disillusionment when facing an illegal adoption – ideally providing some hope. Whilst the past cannot be changed, we live in the present with an opportunity to make the future brighter.