I got an e-mail this morning from a PhD candidate who is studying children who've been adopted internationally and their experience in school settings. I think this is an area that's sorely in need of study and I encourage anyone with a little time on their hands to complete the survey.

She has allowed me to repost her original request for participation in my blog. If you're wiling to help her out, please send her an e-mail (her address is at the bottom) to get a copy of the survey.

My name is Belinda Conrad Richardson. I adopted three children from Russia. Mary and Ethan in July 2003 (6 and 4 at the time) and Emaline in July 2004 (11 months at the time). I have been contacted and asked to consider doing some research in the area of internationally adopted children within the school setting and what their experiences and adjustment issues have been. To discern if this research is feasible or would prove beneficial I am beginning a study that will focus on the unique educational aspects/needs of internationally adopted children. This will be a qualitative look at the experiences of adoptive parents and children upon entering American schools and or child care centers. I am a school counselor and a special educator and I am looking to develop a resource to aid parents and educators during the transition into the American educational system. When I adopted I was unable to find any information on entering schools and services available or needed there for and by adopted children. I hope to be able to create a resource that will aid adoptive parents and prepare them for the educational system. I was lucky because I work in education and therefore I knew what to ask for and what was available (to an extent). I was able to find many resources about behavioral and developmental concerns, but none that focused specifically on the school setting. My goal would be to provide this information to others that need it.

If you would be willing to participate please [request a survey by e-mailing:] belcon68@yahoo.com . Any information you provide will be kept confidential and used only for the purposes of this research study. Please feel free to forward this e-mail on to anyone that you know that has adopted internationally.

Thanks So Much.

Belinda