Adopting a child can be a joyous experience, but it is not without its difficulties and complications. In The Realities of Adoption, social worker and professor Jerome Smith examines the many controversies associated with adoption practice, which has changed dramatically in the past twenty years. Using examples from the hundreds of adoption cases he has worked on, including the famous Baby Jessica case, Smith discusses issues such as openness in adoption, the role of the birth father, transracial adoption, and children's rights. From adoptive parents and their children to attorneys and social workers, everyone involved in adoption will find this book fascinating reading and a valuable resource.