Bonding and the Case for Permanence: Preventing mental illness, crime, and homelessness among children in foster care and adoption. A guide for attorneys, judges, therapists and child welfare.

What happens to a child when bonding is disrupted? How can bonding be defined objectively and offered in court in a verifiable and evidentiary way? Here is a manual about how to find the best permanent homes for foster children within one year or less. This is a must book for attorneys, judges, caseworkers, therapists, and foster/adopt parents. Considerable research is provided to show the dire consequences that occur when bonding is ignored. Foster children are significantly more apt to experience incarceration, and to suffer from mental illness and homelessness as adults. To prevent this, a blueprint for action is suggested, from a consideration of the relevant laws and policies, through the gathering of information, to the effective presentation of the case in court.

James Kenny is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Rensselaer, Indiana with doctorates in psychology and anthropology, as well as a master's degree in social work. He has taught at several major universities and has been the director of a child guidance clinic and a mental health center. With his wife he is the author of "Whole Life Parenting, Happy Parenting, Making the Family Matter" and other books and articles. He is the founder of "Adoption in Child Time" (ACT) and a board member of "Fostering Families Today" magazine. The Kenny's are the parents of biological, adopted, and foster children. Jim loves to run, read, write, and tell stories.