Having a strong adoption portfolio increases your chances of building a family through adoption but how do you create an adoption portfolio that will show prospective birth families why you are the perfect adoptive parent for their child? Do you know which pictures to include and which to leave out? Do you really understand what prospective birth parents care about? Do you know how to make your portfolio unique, and set it apart from the others? This is a step-by-step guide to creating a portfolio which will reflect your personality, make a strong positive impact and encourage the right birth family to choose you. Experienced portfolio designer and consultant Madeleine Melcher shares the secrets she has discovered over years of creating successful portfolios, profiles and prospective birth parent letters. She combines simple and effective design ideas and tips for writing and layout with a deep understanding of how portfolios work. Many potential adoptive parents do not understand the perspective of prospective birth mothers: this book draws extensively on the experiences of birth mothers and the professionals who support them, and features an authoritative list of questions which prospective birth mothers will want to see answered in your portfolio. From text to design, this guide puts you in the drivers' seat and gives you the confidence to create a portfolio that will set you apart. It is essential reading for prospective adoptive parents, as well as adoption attorneys and adoption agencies advising those hoping to adopt.
1. Introduction. 2.What is an Adoption Portfolio? 3. Who are you Writing To? 4. What is it you Need, Right Now? 5. Types of Portfolios. 6. Smile!You Want a Child. 7. Technology Can be your Friend. 8. Dear Prospective Birthparent... 9. Text by Page. 10. Specialty Text Issues. 11. Printing your Portfolio. 12. Marketing. 13. Workbook Questions for Core Pages.Jessica
As an adoptive dad of two-and starting the process to adopt #3-my wife and I have created several adoption profiles (aka portfolios). We had guidelines to follow from our agency and we got better at creating them but after getting Madeleine's book, we found a great process for creating the best profile. She does an amazing job teaching about how to start, what you need to know, writing your letter to a prospective birthmother, how to layout the pages and (in my opinion) the most important part-how to make your profile unique.
I highly recommend getting the book. A HUGE bonus in the book is that it contains a wonderful workbook in the back that takes you step by step through creating your portfolio. Good stuff! This WILL help you.
