Adoptive families are made up of individuals who choose to parent non–biologically related children for the purpose of offering them a permanent home and family. Adoption serves as a vital solution in response to society’s need for safe and nurturing placement of children whose parents are not able to care for them. This entry will review general statistical information about adoptive families, the impact that different adoption choices (e.g., open, closed, international, domestic, transracial) have on families, the process of becoming an adoptive family, family processes and issues specific to adoptive families, and available resources for the development and well-being of adoptive families.