Education

Public education is essential to end negative stereotypes and misinformation about adoption. The Adoption Institute's 1997 Benchmark Adoption Survey was the first public opinion research on American perceptions of adoption and revealed that six in ten Americans had personal experience with adoption. The survey also found that people who understand adoption from family and friends have a more favorable view than those whose only source of information is the mass media. In 2002, a second survey on adoption attitudes was published in partnership with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.

Both studies have been used to create a public education campaign aimed at ending negative stereotypes about adoption and helping waiting children find adoptive parents, as well as providing an accurate picture of the rewards, as well as the challenges, of adoption. As part of this campaign, the Institute is committed to developing and implementing high quality educational programs to better inform professionals who have arguably the most profound (and too-often negative) impact on public attitudes toward adoption - journalists and educators - as well as the needs of adoption professionals, including conferences, and others who work in the field. For a listing of current Institute initiatives, see Programs and Projects.

Educating the Media

Through its unique work with the media, the Institute strives for ethical and equitable treatment of everyone in the adoption community. Executive Director Adam Pertman conducts trainings for journalists for our Educate the Media Program, while he and senior staff frequently provide interviews and research-based materials on a broad range of adoption-related subjects. Even more often, our research is used as background and is cited by journalists nationally and around the world. more

Educating the Educators

The following is a list of resources for educators, including the Institute Educate the Educators Program, adoption training curriculum, and resource guide. The Institute's unique Educate the Media and Educators programs are intended to better inform two groups of professionals who have arguably the most profound (and too-often negative) impact on public attitudes toward adoption and everyone it touches, especially children. Our trainings and materials have already proven highly effective, and we plan to grow both programs in the years to come. more