core issues in adoption and permanency

core issues in adoption and permanency

Author: Marcy Bursac | Adoptive Mom & Foster Care Adoption Advocate October 8, 2024 Duration: 43:43

Allison Davis Maxon is a nationally recognized expert in the fields of child welfare and children’s mental health. She specializes in attachment, developmental trauma and permanency/adoption. 


Allison co-authored "Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency: A Guide to Promoting Understanding and Healing in Adoption, Foster Care, Kinship Families and Third Party Reproduction". She is the Executive Director of the National Center on Adoption and Permanency and she was the foster care consultant for the Paramount Pictures movie Instant Family. 


Now in its sixth season, The Forgotten Adoption Option Podcast moves beyond statistics to explore the human heart of foster care adoption. Hosted by Marcy Bursac, an adoptive mother and founder of the initiative, this podcast creates a space for voices often overlooked. Conversations flow naturally with adoptive parents, adoptees themselves, adults who experienced the foster system, and seasoned child welfare professionals. Together, they unpack the complexities, joys, and raw realities of building families through this path. The central, sobering truth guiding these discussions is that nearly 30% of children in U.S. foster care are legally free for adoption, yet many potential families encounter hurdles that prevent finalization. This series exists to bridge that gap with authenticity and practical insight. By listening, you’ll hear firsthand narratives that challenge misconceptions, offering a clearer picture of the process and the profound connections it can forge. Marcy’s role as a mentor shines through in each episode, fostering dialogues that are as informative as they are deeply personal. It’s a documentary-style journey into the layers of society and culture surrounding child welfare, designed for anyone curious about adoption, involved in the system, or simply seeking stories of resilience and belonging. Tune in monthly for these essential conversations that illuminate a path toward permanent homes.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Forgotten Adoption Option Podcast
Podcast Episodes
how to share your foster care adoption story in your community [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:21
Our stories and experiences can change the way people understand foster care adoption, but knowing what to say, what not to say, and how to say it can feel intimidating. In this episode, I’m joined by Melissa Otero, Nati…
Building Adoption & Foster Friendly Schools™ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:40
In this episode, I talk with educator and adoptive mom Laura Adams about building Adoption & Foster Friendly Schools™. We explore how schools can better support students from adoptive, foster, and kinship families and wh…
how one employer changed a child’s future [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:55
In this bonus episode, I talk with Kacie Alexander and Heather McDow from Alltru Credit Union about how one conversation led to adoption-friendly workplace benefits and changed a family's adoption journey. Discover why e…
how workplaces can honor National Adoption Month in November [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:31
In this episode, I talk with Walmart leader Kacie Alverson about how one workplace turned National Adoption Month into an opportunity to educate, encourage, and support the adoption community. Together, we explore practi…
how friends can support the foster care adoption journey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:48
My friend Haeli has walked alongside my family through every stage of our foster care adoption journey. From respite care to adoption day celebrations, we discuss practical ways friends, family members, and community mem…
how a simple social media post about adoption can impact others [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:33
What happens when you talk about adoption?In this episode, I sit down with my friend and mentor Susan Haertling to discuss her experiences as both an adoptee and adoptive mom. We talk about what led us to collaborate on…
What is EMDR therapy? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:54
What is EMDR therapy and how does it help children process trauma? EMDR trained therapist Casey O'Donnell Jones, M.Ed., LPC, RPT explains Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing , how it works in practice, and how…
how to prepare to care for sibling groups [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:06
Keeping siblings together isn’t accidental. It’s intentional. Tiffany and Hakim talk about how they prepare for sibling groups and what it looks like to be the family that says yes when agencies are trying to keep brothe…