Adoption Issues

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Couples Urged to Adopt Older Children

Officials in Norfolk County (United Kingdom) are urging potential adoptive couples to consider older children. Few babies are available, and many older kids are waiting for a home. Now, couples who have adopted older kids are joining in the plea.

"They said: 'Adoption is not about meeting the needs of childless couples like us, however harsh that sounds. It is about giving children who have had sad starts to their lives a second chance for love, stability and happiness.'"

Many people prefer adopting babies because they don't think babies will have any emotional issues. But officials and adoptive parents agreed that babies are no less likely to have emotional baggage than older kids - it may just take longer for the problems to surface. Source: EDP24

Labels: adoptive_families, advice, older_children

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Michigan Set to Reform Foster Care

In what's been hailed as a "critical milestone," the state of Michigan has reached a settlement with a child advocacy group that filed suit seeking foster care reform on behalf of the state's 19,000 foster children.

"As part of the settlement... the Michigan Department of Human Services would add as many as 700 children's services employees in the next five years, require no more than 15 cases per foster care and adoption worker and hire 40 specialists to license about 7,000 foster homes with relatives who provide for the children."

The settlement also requires the state to employ 200 "permanency specialists," whose sole focus will be finding adoptive homes for eligible foster children. Source: Detroit News

Labels: adoptive_families, foster_care, reform

Saturday, December 29, 2007

69 Children get Families for Christmas

This week in Jacksonville, Florida, the adoptions of 69 children were finalized in a Duval County courtroom, making it the largest single-day adoption in the state of Florida.

"The children were in the foster-care system, but were given a fresh start just before the new year. One adoptive mother said the ceremony made official what she has felt for a long time."

Florida's Family Support Services also stated that, though it has yet to be verified, this could have been largest one-day adoption in U.S. history.

If you're looking for a comphrehensvie list of private schools, visit BoardingSchoolsInfo.com.

Labels: adoptive_families, foster_care, foster_families

Monday, November 12, 2007

"Who" is More Important Than "Where"

Recently, an Ohio newspaper received a letter from a reader upset by the fact that the newspaper had "advertised" a child from Texas who was in need of adoption. Columnist Ann Fisher published her response in today's Columbus Dispatch.

"...you'll find no apologies in this corner as advocates for Estevan continue the search for the right family so he can live near his three sisters, who were adopted [by a couple] in New Albany. And by the way: The column wasn't an advertisement, it was a plea. Estevan is a child, not chattel."

Fisher goes on to remind people that location is far less important that suitability when searching for the right adoptive family. There's no competition between states or countries, only a need to place children in the right homes, with loving families.

The Aspen Institute offers educational and psychological evaluations, chemical dependency assessment, and a behavioral assessment system for children. Visit AspenAssessment.com to learn more.

Labels: adoptive_families, location, services

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Mom Says Article Misses the Point

Pamela Kruger was recently the subject - or one of the subjects - of a New York magazine article on adoption. Unfortunately, the question posed by the article - "Do parents really love adopted children differently than their own offspring?" - reveals just how ill-informed much of the media remains about the true challenges faced by adoptive families.

"Too often the media raises the question of can you love an adopted child as if that was THE critical question to adoptive families when that really is a fleeting fear that comes and passes before a couple adopts; and too often the adoption community has been invested in responding by stressing how 'normal' their families are."

Kruger goes on to say that, just as single parents and multiracial families have issues to deal with, so do adoptive families - but those issues shouldn't be given so much attention. Instead, she says, more attention should be given to the joyful though complex realities of these "new family constellations". Read more at HuffingtonPost.com.

Adopted children can benefit greatly from animal assisted therapy. Learn more about the equine program at Aspen Ranch.

Labels: adoptive_families, love, media

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

"Heart Gallery" Now on Display in Michigan

The words "Heart Gallery" may bring to mind photographs of arteries and valves and blood coursing through veins. But it's actually a very touching collection of photographs of children who are waiting to be adopted. There are Heart Gallery displays all over the country, one of the newest being in Michigan.

"The Michigan Heart Gallery features professional photos of some of Michigan's waiting children, who come from various regions of the state. Recruitment activities such as the Heart Gallery remind people that there are many children in Michigan who are waiting to be adopted."

The photographs in the Heart Gallery were taken by professional photographers who donated their time, and include photos of some adoptive families as well. The exhibit runs from June 7th through the 29th at Art in the Loft gallery. Read more at Michigan.gov.

Labels: adoptees, adoptive_families, recruitment

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Children's Book Tells Story of Adoption

'Welcome Home, Forever Child' was written and illustrated by Christine Mitchell. It tells the story of a family who adopts an older child (older being a toddler or pre-schooler). The book is written in a poetic, iambic pentameter style, which makes it very appealing to younger children.

"Christine's inspiration for writing the book came after she and her husband adopted their younger daughter from foster care when she was four. 'I was disappointed by the scarcity of picture books depicting adoptive families like ours,' says Christine."

What makes the story even more fun is that the 'family' is actually a family of cats who wear funky, human clothes. Though it's lighthearted, the book conveys a positive message as the parents promise to love their new child forever. Read more at AdoptionBlogs.com.

Labels: adoptive_families, older_children, support

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Grandparents Treat Adopted Children Equally

Most adoption research is about the relationships between parents and children. But a new study was recently conducted by the Haifa School of Social School on the relationship between children and grandparents. Fifteen grandparents participated in the research, which was conducted by the Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Studies at the University of Haifa in Haifa, Israel.

"The research identified five stages in the development of emotional relationships between grandparents and their adopted grandchildren."

In the final stage, grandparents demonstrated emotions which showed that their viewed their adopted grandchildren as an "inseparable member of the family." Read more at Adoption.com.

Labels: adoptive_families, grandparents, relationships

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Russian Support Group

Read one women’s journey through the adoption process at http://russianbrown.blogspot.com.

Labels: adoptive_families, international, support

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Open Adoption & Family Services Hosts Forum

This forum is a great place to post your adoptive family group's meeting dates and times, to find other families interested in joining or starting a group in your area, or to share tips for making adoptive family groups successful and fun. Visit the forum.

Labels: adoptive_families, forums, support

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Focus on Adoption Needs

Older children who have been in foster care often are overlooked by those considering adoption, but a display by the Adoption Coalition of Texas showcasing photographs of children in need of a permanent home is intended to help change that. Learn more online.

Labels: adoptive_families, advocacy, teens