This is a unique compilation of cross-cultural and international attitudes towards adoption research and outcomes. Whilst informal adoption of children has probably always existed across all human societies, this work is timely in that interest in the role of legal adoption as both a child welfare solution and as a means of alternative family formation for adults wanting to become parents has never been higher. This book is an edited collection of 13 papers based on invited keynote presentations or paper symposia presentations given at the Second International Conference on Adoption Research (ICAR2) 2006. It gives a unique Cross-cultural look at adoption from worldwide, multidisciplinary community of distinguished and emerging adoption researchers. International appeal, with different countries laws, attitudes and outcomes fully explored

Gretchen Miller Wrobel is a Professor of Psychology at Bethel University, USA, and Investigator on the Minnesota-Texas Adoption Research Project focusing on the impact of openness in adoptive relationships. Her main interests are family communication about adoption and adoption-related curiosity.

Elsbeth Neil is a Senior Lecturer in Social Work in the School of Social Work and Psychology at the University of East Anglia, UK. She has experience as a childcare social worker in the UK. Her main research interests are in contact after adoption and post adoption support services, particularly in relation to children adopted from public care.