Social work

When families are preparing to adopt a child, the person they usually want to impress most is their adoption social worker. The social worker is seen as the gatekeeper to the children that may become part of their family. They are universally viewed as having enormous power.

The Decision to Adopt
Kathy and Rick Miller already had four birth children between the ages of nine and 16, when they decided to add a sibling group of two to their family. "We enjoy children a lot," said Kathy, who has a degree in Child and Youth Care. "We have lots of parenting experience, and we felt we had a lot to offer as a family." She and Rick, who is a teacher, wanted more children, but felt that it was better "to expand our family by adding children who genuinely needed a home, rather than biologically."