Adoption Policy Conferences

The Justice Action Center, the Center for Adoption Policy, and the Child Advocacy Program of Harvard Law School are proud to cosponsor a yearly conference on adoption law and policy. Currently in its sixth year, this series explores topics at the forefront of adoption policy in the United States and abroad.


SAVE THE DATE: FRIDAY, MARCH 5

The Seventh Annual Adoption Policy Conference, Permanency for Children, will take place at New York Law School on Friday, March 5, 2010. For more information, please click here.


CONFERENCE VIDEO NOW AVAILABLE

Video from the Sixth Annual Adoption Policy Conference, International Adoption, the United States, and the Reality of the Hague System, can now be viewed online. Click here to watch the video. 


CONGRESSIONAL ANGEL IN ADOPTION AWARD

The Center for Adoption Policy, cosponsor of the Annual Adoption Policy Conference, received a 2008 Congressional Angel in Adoption award, predicated in part on the success of the Conference. The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute recognized the Conference as the "pre-eminent adoption forum, bringing together scholars, practitioners and members of the adoption community." 


PAST CONFERENCES

The 2004 conference focused on developments in the fields of intercountry adoption, transnational law, and European Union law. The well-regarded journal Diplomatic History joined in cosponsoring this first annual conference. For complete speaker information and a list of topics discussed, please click here.

The 2005 conference addressed the topic of gay and lesbian adoption, touching on the history of the movement, its current status, and future prospects. The second annual conference was cosponsored by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute. Complete information on the conference is available by clicking here.

The 2006 conference addressed groundbreaking issues in adoption policy, including the legal and political ramifications of continuing technological development. Click here for complete conference information.

The 2007 conference returned to a discussion of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, and that treaty's effect on intercountry adoption in the United States. Click here for details on the fourth annual conference.

The 2008 conference investigated the structural, legal, and societal barriers that delay permanency for children in foster care who need families and suggested measures that address the pressing problems that impede the formation of adoptive families for children in care. Click here for complete information on speakers and topics.  

The 2009 Conference examined the state of international adoption to and from the United States one year after the effective date of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption in the U.S. Click here for more information and video from the conference.