In 2006, the city of Portsmouth, Virginia placed just one child with adoptive parents. In 2007, that number rose to 24, with 13 of those children being nine years old or younger. As a result, the city will receive over $18,000 in federal funding for adoption services.

"Portsmouth officials told [reporter Cheryl] Ross that the department's new success in adoptions is the result of changes made several years ago, when the department set up a separate adoption team rather than have employees work on both adoption and foster care."

The federal funding is earmarked for an ad campaign and training courses for adoptive parents. Source: The Virginia Pilot

Labels: funding, services

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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.

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Labels: services, adoptive_families, location

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Until recently, a child who was adopted internationally had little or no opportunity to locate his or her birth mother. Today, that opportunity exists thanks to the emergence of "searchers" who help locate international birth mothers.

"Deciding whether or not to initiate the search is not easy. While there are a multitude of heartwarming stories, there are also others, where alcoholism was rampant in the family or where the birth mother abused the child."

There's also a possibility that a birth mother will ask for financial support or ask the adoptive parents to adopt another child. There are risks involved in initiating a search for a child's birth mother, and they should be carefully considered. There is also, however, the potential for a heartwarming reunion.

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Labels: international, birth_parents, services

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Dave Thomas, founder of the Wendy's fast-food chain, had a dream of seeing every child in the United States foster care system placed in a loving home. To help that goal become a reality, he started the Dave Thomas Foundation and its signature program - Wendy's Wonderful Kids.

"Wendy's restaurants, their customers and other partners raise funds for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. The Foundation awards grants to local adoption organizations to hire recruiters to execute aggressive child-focused recruitment programs targeted exclusively on placing foster care children with adoptive families."

Wendy's Wonderful Kids started with just seven recruiters in seven states. Today, it boasts more than 87 recruiters in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Canada who have helped place over 1,000 kids into permanent homes. Read more at DaveThomasFoundationForAdoption.com.

Labels: support, foster_care, services

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There are over 3,000 domestic adoption professionals in the United States. With so many options, how do you choose the person who's right for you and who will best serve your needs and interests during the adoption process?

"It's best to initially have an understanding of the types of services offered by domestic adoption professionals so you can best decide which specific professional is for you."

Some adoption agencies and professionals offer "full" service, while others don't. You may not need all the services offered by a full service professional, so review their information carefully and take time to make a wise and fully-informed choice. Read more at AmericanAdoptions.com.

Labels: services, adoption professionals

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