Children and Youth in Adoption, Orphanages, and Foster Care

Book excerpt: "Divided into three sections, this collection of original essays reviews the practice of adoption, orphanage placement and foster care from the colonial period to the present day. Featuring a strong focus on developments in the 20th century, the book also covers representations of orphans that have populated children's literature, from the folk tales of many different cultures, to films that constitute part of the cultural inheritance of American children. Selected primary documents, including materials by children, as well as an in-depth bibliographic section, provide crucial information and insight for high school and college students, social workers, journalists, and the general reader."--BOOK JACKET.