from the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.
Showing posts with label domestic adoption. Show all posts
Showing posts with label domestic adoption. Show all posts
Friday, August 3, 2012
CBS News Reports a Drop in the Foster Care Population
Foster care population drops for 6th straight year, though 26,286 of children that left the system "aged out" without ties to their own parents and with no other home. Read the story here.
Some Ways Domestic Adoption Has Changed In the Past Thirty Years
An article from Adoptive Families magazine:
Perception and Reality: The Untold Story of Domestic Adoption
Adoption in the United States has undergone a seismic shift in the last 30 years. How long will it take for popular perceptions to catch up with the new, healthier reality?
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Latest Adoption Cost and Wait Time Data from Adoptive Families Magazine
Adoptive Families Magazine has released the results of their annual survey on adoption costs and wait times. It includes both domestic and international adoption. It seems the least expensive way to adopt is through the U.S. Foster Care system and the most expensive is adopting from Russia.
Read the survey results here.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
A History of International Adoption and Adopting from Haiti
The Last Babylift
Adopting a child in Haiti.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Adoption steps to the front lines of the culture wars
An article from Christianity Today - http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/january/7.12.html
Orphans on Deck
by Bobby Ross Jr.
Adoption is arguably one of the Christian social ministries most central to evangelical theology. It has—to a greater extent than church positions on issues such as abortion and marriage—avoided becoming entangled in politics. Until now.
A foster dad's court challenge to a Florida law banning adoption by gays and lesbians has made headlines in recent months. So has a proposed same-sex marriage law in the District of Columbia that the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington warned could force it to cancel its social service programs, including adoption.
At the federal level, U.S. Rep. Pete Stark introduced a bill in October dubbed the "Every Child Deserves a Family Act." The California Democrat's proposal immediately drew the ire of the Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance (IRF). IRF claims the proposed law could run "roughshod over the convictions of many faith-based adoption agencies" and "require every state to forbid every agency that it licenses from preferring mother-father families over gay families or single parents."
"Obviously, it's becoming a political issue," Marquette University political scientist John McAdams said of adoption.
"The fundamental problem is that secular elites—who basically don't like religious people at all—aren't willing to make any concessions at all to the consciousnesses of religious people," said McAdams, an evangelical Christian and Republican. In such a climate, children needing homes take a back seat to politics, he said.
McAdams points to Massachusetts as a prime example: In 2006, Catholic Charities of Boston stopped its 103-year-old adoption service rather than comply with a state law that made it illegal to discriminate against gay and lesbian couples when placing children into homes.
Russell D. Moore, a leading Southern Baptist theologian and author of "Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches," voices concern about "religious liberty concerns rising in the adoption arena."
"When states force Roman Catholic and evangelical Protestant adoption services and children's homes to override their religious concepts of the family in placing children, the mission of the church itself is at stake," Moore said.
On the other hand, voters in Arkansas last year passed a referendum banning unmarried couples from adopting or fostering children—a direct attack on gay parenting. Gov. Mike Beebe, a Democrat and active member of an Episcopal Church, voiced concern in November that the law hinders the state's ability to recruit qualified parents.
"It was just a matter of time before [adoption] was used as a lightning rod," said Ram Cnaan, director of the Program for Religion and Social Policy Research at the University of Pennsylvania.
Stark's proposal would increase the role of for-profit adoption agencies and minimize that of nonprofit and faith-based providers, Cnaan said. As a social worker and researcher, he would prefer a government policy that encourages all agencies to allow lgbt people to adopt but stops short of forcing organizations to do so.
"Marginalizing the uniqueness of faith-based organizations and forcing them to act secularly is the cookie-cutter type mistake," Cnaan said. "Not all adoption agencies should be molded to be alike, as many children and families have different needs that can be best met by allowing many different providers to co-exist."
On a broader scale, adoption is a legal process that always has been subject to politics, said John VanValkenburg, spokesman for Bethany Christian Services, the largest adoption agency in the world with more than 80 locations in 32 states.
Both political parties, for example, have supported a federal tax credit for families who adopt—a benefit that Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Bethany hopes to see renewed or made permanent before it expires at the end of 2010, VanValkenburg said.
"Awareness of the importance of adoption has increased as a result of President Obama, who repeatedly mentions adoption as a part of a positive strategy to reduce abortions," he added.
But Jedd Medefind, president of the Christian Alliance for Orphans in McLean, Virginia, said he fears that children in need of families will lose the most as activists work to redefine marriage—and, in turn, adoption rules.
"If it limits the right of Christian agencies to serve in ways consistent with their convictions, government will ultimately lose many of its greatest allies in finding families for kids in needs," said Medefind, who directed the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives as a special assistant to former President George W. Bush.
Like Medefind, Kay Ekstrom, executive director of the Phoenix-based National Association of Christian Child and Family Agencies, expresses concern about what she sees as the increasing politicization of adoption. Yet, in her view, the bigger headline is this: Tens of thousands of children remain stuck in foster care without permanent homes as Christians fail to step up to the challenge.
"If every Christian church in America produced one adopting family for an older child, we could wipe out the list of 'waiting children,'" said Ekstrom, who spent 25 years as president of the Christian Family Care Agency in Arizona. "And if God's people were responding to this need, the issue of adopting by gay people wouldn't be an issue. All the children would have homes."
Orphans on Deck
by Bobby Ross Jr.
Adoption is arguably one of the Christian social ministries most central to evangelical theology. It has—to a greater extent than church positions on issues such as abortion and marriage—avoided becoming entangled in politics. Until now.
A foster dad's court challenge to a Florida law banning adoption by gays and lesbians has made headlines in recent months. So has a proposed same-sex marriage law in the District of Columbia that the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington warned could force it to cancel its social service programs, including adoption.
At the federal level, U.S. Rep. Pete Stark introduced a bill in October dubbed the "Every Child Deserves a Family Act." The California Democrat's proposal immediately drew the ire of the Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance (IRF). IRF claims the proposed law could run "roughshod over the convictions of many faith-based adoption agencies" and "require every state to forbid every agency that it licenses from preferring mother-father families over gay families or single parents."
"Obviously, it's becoming a political issue," Marquette University political scientist John McAdams said of adoption.
"The fundamental problem is that secular elites—who basically don't like religious people at all—aren't willing to make any concessions at all to the consciousnesses of religious people," said McAdams, an evangelical Christian and Republican. In such a climate, children needing homes take a back seat to politics, he said.
McAdams points to Massachusetts as a prime example: In 2006, Catholic Charities of Boston stopped its 103-year-old adoption service rather than comply with a state law that made it illegal to discriminate against gay and lesbian couples when placing children into homes.
Russell D. Moore, a leading Southern Baptist theologian and author of "Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches," voices concern about "religious liberty concerns rising in the adoption arena."
"When states force Roman Catholic and evangelical Protestant adoption services and children's homes to override their religious concepts of the family in placing children, the mission of the church itself is at stake," Moore said.
On the other hand, voters in Arkansas last year passed a referendum banning unmarried couples from adopting or fostering children—a direct attack on gay parenting. Gov. Mike Beebe, a Democrat and active member of an Episcopal Church, voiced concern in November that the law hinders the state's ability to recruit qualified parents.
"It was just a matter of time before [adoption] was used as a lightning rod," said Ram Cnaan, director of the Program for Religion and Social Policy Research at the University of Pennsylvania.
Stark's proposal would increase the role of for-profit adoption agencies and minimize that of nonprofit and faith-based providers, Cnaan said. As a social worker and researcher, he would prefer a government policy that encourages all agencies to allow lgbt people to adopt but stops short of forcing organizations to do so.
"Marginalizing the uniqueness of faith-based organizations and forcing them to act secularly is the cookie-cutter type mistake," Cnaan said. "Not all adoption agencies should be molded to be alike, as many children and families have different needs that can be best met by allowing many different providers to co-exist."
On a broader scale, adoption is a legal process that always has been subject to politics, said John VanValkenburg, spokesman for Bethany Christian Services, the largest adoption agency in the world with more than 80 locations in 32 states.
Both political parties, for example, have supported a federal tax credit for families who adopt—a benefit that Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Bethany hopes to see renewed or made permanent before it expires at the end of 2010, VanValkenburg said.
"Awareness of the importance of adoption has increased as a result of President Obama, who repeatedly mentions adoption as a part of a positive strategy to reduce abortions," he added.
But Jedd Medefind, president of the Christian Alliance for Orphans in McLean, Virginia, said he fears that children in need of families will lose the most as activists work to redefine marriage—and, in turn, adoption rules.
"If it limits the right of Christian agencies to serve in ways consistent with their convictions, government will ultimately lose many of its greatest allies in finding families for kids in needs," said Medefind, who directed the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives as a special assistant to former President George W. Bush.
Like Medefind, Kay Ekstrom, executive director of the Phoenix-based National Association of Christian Child and Family Agencies, expresses concern about what she sees as the increasing politicization of adoption. Yet, in her view, the bigger headline is this: Tens of thousands of children remain stuck in foster care without permanent homes as Christians fail to step up to the challenge.
"If every Christian church in America produced one adopting family for an older child, we could wipe out the list of 'waiting children,'" said Ekstrom, who spent 25 years as president of the Christian Family Care Agency in Arizona. "And if God's people were responding to this need, the issue of adopting by gay people wouldn't be an issue. All the children would have homes."
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
National Adoption Day
On National Adoption Day, this year on November 21, communities in all 50 states will hold courtroom celebrations to finalize more than 4,000 adoptions of children from foster care. Hundreds of judges, attorneys, agencies, adoption professionals, and child advocates volunteer their time to complete the adoptions.
The National Adoption Day Coalition named Nia Vardalos as its 2009 National Adoption Day spokesperson. The writer and actress is an advocate for U.S. foster care adoption. She and her husband, Ian Gomez, adopted their daughter from foster care in 2008.
Read her story here: http://cgcministry.blogspot.com/2009/11/nia-vardalos-writes-about-adopting-from.html
The National Adoption Day Coalition named Nia Vardalos as its 2009 National Adoption Day spokesperson. The writer and actress is an advocate for U.S. foster care adoption. She and her husband, Ian Gomez, adopted their daughter from foster care in 2008.
Read her story here: http://cgcministry.blogspot.com/2009/11/nia-vardalos-writes-about-adopting-from.html
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Nia Vardalos Writes about Adopting from Foster Care
From Adoptive Families Magazine: http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=1990
Adopting from Foster Care--with Help
"It wasn't easy to adopt an American child. Actually, the process was quite simple, but finding out how to do it was the hard part." By Nia Vardalos
My New Year's resolution list usually starts with the desire to lose between 10 and 3,000 pounds. In the middle, I list career goals and coveted shoes. Somewhere near the end, I'll add something about donating more often to charity and reducing my carbon footprint.
This year, I got to put something different on my list. I wrote just one thing: I resolved to be a good mother. I got to write this first-time resolution because, early last year, my husband, Ian Gomez, and I adopted a little girl.
Not because an adopted child seems to be the latest Hollywood must-have accessory. But because, after 10 years of banging my head against the brick wall of infertility, I accepted the fact that there would have to be another plan for me. And (cue music swell) motherhood turned out to be the most meaningful thing I've ever done with my life. Really.
I tried many routes that fell through or didn't work out. Then I waited on many lists. The phone didn't ring. I didn't know what to do. So, I kept asking questions. Don't we have orphanages in the States? I found out that, no, we don't. But we do have 500,000 kids in foster care, and 129,000 of them are legally free for adoption and waiting for a family. I was stunned.
I realized there was simply no reason not to adopt an older child. In a white-hot moment, I knew this was what I had been waiting for.
I want to write that it was really easy. But it wasn't. The next phase took a while because the information on how to adopt from foster care just isn't out there. Not sure whom to approach, I went directly to the State and said I was open to any sex, age, and ethnic background. Oh, goodie, they exclaimed, because they could place an at-risk, multiple-sibling set in my house on a trial basis, and an adoption might come out of it if the parental rights were terminated in court after a few years.
My mouth went dry. Like, just-licked-a-pumice-stone dry. That sounded complicated. But I really, really wanted to be a parent. So, I said, "OK!"
I did ask about the children who were already legally free. I was told there was a process, and that I had to be patient. I thought I would be connected with a child who was waiting for a home. Again, they explained, I had to trust their procedures. I now felt apprehensive, thinking I might get lost in yet another situation that wouldn't resolve in a positive way.
I was sent away with a thick packet of fingerprinting forms and a daunting homestudy kit. As I sorted through the mounds of paperwork, I found out about (cue lightbulb click) FFA's.
That's when things finally accelerated.
An FFA--foster family agency--helps individuals navigate the state system. The people (I call them super-pretty angels) at the FFA we worked with were helpful, compassionate, and organized. They assisted with the paperwork, explained and set up the homestudy, and did a nationwide search for a legally free child they felt we could be good parents to. Nine months later, through their various connections, we were matched with our daughter. We finalized our adoption within a year. [Editors' note: Many states' Department of Social Services contract with private agencies, sometimes called foster family agencies, to train foster and adoptive families. To find one near you, call AdoptUSKids at 888-200-4005 or go to adoptuskids.org.]
And, yes, she is perfect. She is four now, and to say she's adapted well would be a huge understatement. The experience of transitioning this child was astonishing. We kept it quiet for almost a year, to protect her privacy and give her time to adjust.
Last November, my husband and I thought about the 129,000 kids waiting for a family and decided to announce our daughter's adoption to raise awareness of National Adoption Month. That is why I'm writing about this now. Maybe there are other people out there who want to adopt from foster care.
I will tell you this much: You will meet amazing people, who are committed to helping children achieve a fresh start. One of these groups, The Alliance for Children's Rights, invited me to be part of a fantastic event called National Adoption Day. On November 15, 2008, in over 300 cities, 4,000 children were adopted. Several hundred lawyers and judges worked to assist in the finalization of these applications, so parents who were not able to afford lawyers and court fees could adopt a child.
I met amazing people that day--single mothers who adopted older children, gay couples who were adopting again, families who had biological children and adopted others, older couples who fulfilled children's dreams of finding a family. It was a day so filled with love and joy, I felt like there were cartoon bluebirds chirping above those kids' heads. I cried like someone's crazy aunt at a graduation.
So, if you're interested...let's discuss adoption.
There seems to be the impression that it's difficult to adopt in the U.S. Having been through the system, I want to tell people how to do it: Just find a foster family agency. An FFA will help you navigate the system--will walk you through the paperwork, the necessary and thorough background screening process, and the procedure of adopting from foster care in the U.S.
I would never disparage anyone who goes outside their own country to adopt--every child deserves a home. I do want to point out that the U.S. foster adoption route includes a child's full medical and health record. In terms of your child's lifelong medical care, full disclosure helps.
U.S. foster adoption welcomes families of all income levels, and, unlike private adoption, it is virtually cost-free. The system doesn't discriminate--single parents, older couples, gays and lesbians, all may apply. A family is a family, and there are 129,000 kids waiting for one. Our daughter came to live with us, and turned our house into a home.
Nia Vardalos is an Academy Award- and Golden Globe-nominated screenwriter and actress. Her next films are the romantic comedies My Life in Ruins, and I Hate Valentine's Day, which she wrote and directed.
This piece was originally published in the Huffington Post. Reprinted with permission from Nia Vardalos.
AF Talks to Nia Vardalos
Tell us how you decided to adopt through foster care.We had been on a few paths that fell through, including several failed U.S. newborn placements. As heartbreaking as it is for adoptive parents, the law says that the woman who gives birth gets to change her mind, and that makes sense. We were also on waiting lists for China and Greece.
I hadn't realized that children in foster care were available for adoption. But once I learned about these kids, I knew it was right for us. We chose to consider only children who were legally free, because I was not up to fighting someone in court.
How did your social workers help you get through the process?
We worked with a foster family agency. It's a free service (paid for by the government) that anyone can use, and they helped us with the paperwork and homestudy. You look online at photos of children, with a few lines of information, and if there's one you feel a connection to, your social worker goes to a social worker in that state and finds out more about the child. Perhaps that child is more suited for a home with siblings, or doesn't want to relocate from her home state.
The social workers were a well of compassion. I spent hours on the phone with ours, saying that I didn't understand why we couldn't be matched overnight. She said that there's a process, and it was going to happen. Ironically, it was nine months from the time we first met with the social workers until our daughter walked in the door.
How did your family handle the transition?
Some things happened very quickly, and some took more time. It was different from adopting a newborn, because our daughter was a fully formed personality. We followed our instincts, and realized the best thing we could do is tell her the truth. She didn't have a lot of words when she came to live with us, but we spoke with her as if she comprehended everything: "This is your room…this is Manny the dog…if you need us, we're right down the hall." Eventually, she would nod in understanding. At first, she was waking up every hour and checking her surroundings--her anxiety wouldn't let her sleep, which was understandable. We slept in her room and went to a sleep clinic, and now she sleeps from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Everything can be worked through.
What's life like for your family now?
I'm with my daughter all the time, and it's clear that I'm supposed to be her parent. We really know each other, and we laugh all the time. It's the most amazing experience.
I've realized that the reason it took me so long to be a parent, and the reason I had such incredible success with My Big Fat Greek Wedding, was so that I could use my big mouth to talk about foster care. I'm a spokesperson for several organizations, and for this year's National Adoption Day.
All in all, it's been such a lovely process that I told my social worker not to lose my number--we'd definitely do it again
President Obama declares November National Adoption Month
Presidential Proclamation
NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH, 2009
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
All children deserve a safe, loving family to protect and care for them. In America, thousands of young people are waiting for that opportunity. During National Adoption Month, we honor those families that have strengthened America through adoption, and we recommit to reducing the number of children awaiting adoption into loving families.
America is a country rich in resources and filled with countless caring men and women who hope to adopt. These individuals come from all walks of life, united in their commitment to love a child who is in need of the protective arms of a parent. We must do more to ensure that adoption is a viable option for them. By continually opening up the doors to adoption, and supporting full equality in adoption laws for all American families, we allow more children to find the permanent homes they yearn for and deserve.
This month, we also focus on children in foster care. These children are not in the system by their own choosing, but are forced into it by unfortunate or tragic circumstances. These young people have specific needs and require unique support. Federal, State, and local governments, communities, and individuals all have a role to play in ensuring that foster children have the resources and encouragement they need to realize their hopes and dreams.
The course of our future will depend on what we do to help the next generation of Americans succeed. This month, we celebrate those families brought together by adoption and renew our commitments to children in the foster care system.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2009 as National Adoption Month. I call upon all Americans to observe this month by reaching out to support and honor adoptive families, as well as to participate actively in efforts to find permanent homes for waiting children.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
BARACK OBAMA
NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH, 2009
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
All children deserve a safe, loving family to protect and care for them. In America, thousands of young people are waiting for that opportunity. During National Adoption Month, we honor those families that have strengthened America through adoption, and we recommit to reducing the number of children awaiting adoption into loving families.
America is a country rich in resources and filled with countless caring men and women who hope to adopt. These individuals come from all walks of life, united in their commitment to love a child who is in need of the protective arms of a parent. We must do more to ensure that adoption is a viable option for them. By continually opening up the doors to adoption, and supporting full equality in adoption laws for all American families, we allow more children to find the permanent homes they yearn for and deserve.
This month, we also focus on children in foster care. These children are not in the system by their own choosing, but are forced into it by unfortunate or tragic circumstances. These young people have specific needs and require unique support. Federal, State, and local governments, communities, and individuals all have a role to play in ensuring that foster children have the resources and encouragement they need to realize their hopes and dreams.
The course of our future will depend on what we do to help the next generation of Americans succeed. This month, we celebrate those families brought together by adoption and renew our commitments to children in the foster care system.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2009 as National Adoption Month. I call upon all Americans to observe this month by reaching out to support and honor adoptive families, as well as to participate actively in efforts to find permanent homes for waiting children.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
BARACK OBAMA
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
New campaign aims to promote black child adoption
By Wendy Koch, USA TODAY, 8/3/2009
Rosemary Armstrong fondly recalls the first time she met her daughter Micayla, then 2, at her foster home. The African-American toddler screamed when the caseworker tried to pick her up, but she happily sat on Armstrong's lap and smiled.
Micayla didn't talk at all to most people, but during their second meeting, she started communicating: "It was 'Mommy' and 'Daddy' from day one," Armstrong says. "It was so fast."
Armstrong and her husband, Terry, also African-American, decided to adopt from foster care after discovering they could not have a child biologically.
They met Micayla in April 2008, and her adoption was final in February 2009. Micayla, who turned 4 on Monday, bonded quickly with their two other children, Armstrong's son, Jaiere, 7, and goddaughter Alexis, 14.
Armstrong and her husband, Terry, also African-American, decided to adopt from foster care after discovering they could not have a child biologically.
They met Micayla in April 2008, and her adoption was final in February 2009. Micayla, who turned 4 on Monday, bonded quickly with their two other children, Armstrong's son, Jaiere, 7, and goddaughter Alexis, 14.
'A perfect parent'
While blacks account for 15% of U.S. children, they make up 32% of the 510,000 kids in foster care, according to a May 2008 report by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, a private research group. The report is based on 2006 data, the latest available. It shows that black children in foster care, especially older ones, are less likely than white ones to be adopted.
To help deal with that imbalance, a federally funded ad campaign is to be unveiled today. It is aimed at encouraging blacks to adopt from the foster care system. The ads will appear this fall on radio, TV and in newspapers.
"They're long overdue," says Adam Pertman, executive director of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute.
A 1994 federal law, the Multiethnic Placement Act, prohibits denying or delaying an adoption because of race but requires "diligent" efforts to recruit parents of the same race.
The new ads, developed by the Advertising Council, are part of a series that began in 2002 to promote adoption from foster care. The ads, like prior ones, are humorous and carry the same tagline: "You don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent."
While blacks account for 15% of U.S. children, they make up 32% of the 510,000 kids in foster care, according to a May 2008 report by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, a private research group. The report is based on 2006 data, the latest available. It shows that black children in foster care, especially older ones, are less likely than white ones to be adopted.
To help deal with that imbalance, a federally funded ad campaign is to be unveiled today. It is aimed at encouraging blacks to adopt from the foster care system. The ads will appear this fall on radio, TV and in newspapers.
"They're long overdue," says Adam Pertman, executive director of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute.
A 1994 federal law, the Multiethnic Placement Act, prohibits denying or delaying an adoption because of race but requires "diligent" efforts to recruit parents of the same race.
The new ads, developed by the Advertising Council, are part of a series that began in 2002 to promote adoption from foster care. The ads, like prior ones, are humorous and carry the same tagline: "You don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent."
'Some good news'
After similar ads aired in Spanish, "we got so many calls, we couldn't handle them," says Kathy Ledesma, project director of AdoptUsKids, a federally funded project that launched the ads.
Pertman says it makes sense to target blacks on behalf of black kids, because they are the most likely to adopt them, especially the older ones who are hardest to place. Single black women, often aunts or grandmothers, adopt nearly two-thirds of black foster kids, according to Penelope Maza, who analyzed foster care data for the federal Children's Bureau for nearly three decades until her retirement in December.
An increased effort to place black children with relatives before they enter foster care and to promote their adoption has helped to improve the imbalance, says Ruth McRoy, who researches adoption at the University of Texas-Austin.
In 1998, black children accounted for 43% of kids in the foster care system, but that share has since gone down, according to U.S. data.
After similar ads aired in Spanish, "we got so many calls, we couldn't handle them," says Kathy Ledesma, project director of AdoptUsKids, a federally funded project that launched the ads.
Pertman says it makes sense to target blacks on behalf of black kids, because they are the most likely to adopt them, especially the older ones who are hardest to place. Single black women, often aunts or grandmothers, adopt nearly two-thirds of black foster kids, according to Penelope Maza, who analyzed foster care data for the federal Children's Bureau for nearly three decades until her retirement in December.
An increased effort to place black children with relatives before they enter foster care and to promote their adoption has helped to improve the imbalance, says Ruth McRoy, who researches adoption at the University of Texas-Austin.
In 1998, black children accounted for 43% of kids in the foster care system, but that share has since gone down, according to U.S. data.
"There's some good news here," Maza says.
The Donaldson report says one in five black foster kids are adopted by parents of a different race, and the majority of them are 4 years old or younger. It cites research showing that this kind of adoption can pose identity problems and recommends adoptive parents undergo training to help their kids.
New Yorker Sarah Gerstenzang, who is white, took in a black foster daughter when the girl was 5 weeks old and later adopted her. "I hear kids say to her, 'That's your mom!'" Gerstenzang says, adding that her daughter has learned to handle it.
Rosemary Armstrong says Micayla likes to ride her tricycle around the neighborhood. She says the girl has adjusted so well that she and her husband want to adopt another black foster child.
On Saturday, she's throwing Micayla a princess birthday party. She has invited 30 kids to share their joy, make jewelry and help eat the castle cake.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Catholic Charities holding Adoption Seminar
Are you interested in Adoption?
Catholic Charities of Central Florida's Adoption Specialists are presenting a
FREE with Registration Informational Seminar on
How to Become "Adoption-Ready"
October 21, 2009 or January 13, 2010
6:00 - 8:00 PM
Catholic Charities of Central Florida
1819 N. Semoran Blvd., Orlando, FL 32807
To Register: Call 888-658-2828 or Click Here to Register online
Contact
Cami Tarasewich
Catholic Charities of Central Florida's Adoption Specialists are presenting a
FREE with Registration Informational Seminar on
How to Become "Adoption-Ready"
October 21, 2009 or January 13, 2010
6:00 - 8:00 PM
Catholic Charities of Central Florida
1819 N. Semoran Blvd., Orlando, FL 32807
To Register: Call 888-658-2828 or Click Here to Register online
Contact
Cami Tarasewich
Friday, July 17, 2009
Equality for Adopted Children
EACH is pleased to announce the introduction of the Foreign Adopted Children Equality Act (S.1359 and H.R. 3110) and the Families for Orphans Act (S.1458 and H.R. 3070), both of which are a result of EACH's collaborative involvement in the Families for Orphans Coalition.** Both proposed acts represent a potential victory for millions of vulnerable children from around the world who need a permanent family and a major step forward in providing internationally adopted children the same citizenship rights as foreign born biological children of American citizens.
Spearheaded by Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and James Inhofe (R-OK) and Representatives Diane Watson (D-CA) and John Boozman (R-AR), the Foreign Adopted Children Equality Act (The Face Act) simplifies the acquisition of citizenship for internationally adopted children and removes these children of American citizens from the immigration process.
The Families for Orphans Act (FFO Act) was also introduced by Senators Landrieu and Inhofe and Representatives Boozman and Watson. The FFO Act would establish the Office of Orphan Policy, Diplomacy and Development within the Department of State which would have the responsibility for developing and implementing a comprehensive strategy advocating for permanent parental care for orphans including the preservation of families and other permanency options such as domestic and international adoption.
More information about the FACE Act and the FFO Act can be found at: http://www.equalityforadoptedchildren.org/legislation/legislation.html
How can you advocate for these children and passage of these bills? We are asking all of you to become actively engaged with your U.S. Congressional Representative and Senators by urging them to support the Foreign Adopted Children Equality Act and the Families for Orphans Act. Your telephone call, letter or e-mail can make a difference in the life of a child who is desperately in need of a permanent, loving family and help improve the acquisition of citizenship rights for internationally adopted children.
1. Sign the online petitions in support of these two bills. These petitions will be delivered to Congress.
The FACE Act: http://gopetition.com/petitions/face-act-of-2009.html
The FFO Act: http://gopetition.com/petitions/families-for-orphans.html
2. Call your Senators and Representatives! In coordination with the National Council for Adoption and Joint Council on International Children's Services, we are suggesting a 72-hour sustained telephone effort by asking you to call Congress on July 28, 29, or 30 and urge your three Members of Congress (two in the Senate and one in the House of Representatives) to become a Co-sponsor of the Foreign Adopted Children Equality Act and the Families For Orphans Act. Ask to speak with the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff and tell them that as a constituent you are requesting their boss' support by becoming a co-sponsor of these bills. Provide them with both the names of the two bills and their corresponding bill numbers (the FACE Act is S.1359 in the Senate and H.R. 3110 in the House and the FFO Act is S. 1458 and H.R. 3070 in the House.) You can direct the staffer to contact the offices of Senators Landrieu and Inhofe or Representatives Watson and Boozman for information on becoming a co-sponsor. For contact information on your Representative please visit http://www.house.gov/ and for information on your Senators please visit http://www.senate.gov/.
3. In addition to contacting your own members of Congress, please contact members who sit on the four Congressional committees who will be the first to vote on these bills. The FACE Act will be considered by the House and Senate Judiciary Committee and also by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The FFO Act will be considered by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Following is contact information for these committees
In the House:
House Committee on Foreign Affairs:
Phone: 202-225-5021 (Democrats) or 202-226-8467 (Republicans)
Email: http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/contact.asp
Members on the Committee who need to know of your support for these bills: http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/members.asp
House Judiciary Committee:
Phone: 202-225-3951 (Democrats) or 202-225-6906 (Republicans)
Members on the Committee who need to know of your support for the FACE Act: http://judiciary.house.gov/about/members.html
In the Senate:
Senate Judiciary Committee:
Phone: 202-224-7703 (Democrats) or 202-224-5225 (Republicans)
Members on the Committee who need to know of your support for the FACE Act: http://judiciary.senate.gov/about/members.cfm
Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Phone: 202-224-4651 (Democrats) or 202-224-6707 (Republicans)
Members on the Committee who need to know of your support for the FFO Act: http://www.foreign.senate.gov/about.html
4. Get the word out. Send this email to friends and family. Post it to your Facebook, My Space, and Twitter accounts, your blog, and personal Web site. On behalf of internationally adopted children and parentless children worldwide, we thank you for your time and your efforts. We can make a positive difference as we work together on behalf of these children.
Sincerely,
J. McLane Layton
President, Equality for Adopted Children (EACH)
___________________________________
** The Families for Orphans Coalition
Buckner International
EACH
Institute for Orphan Advocacy
Institute for Human Services
Joint Council on International Children's Services
Kidsave
National Council For Adoption
Worldwide Orphan Foundation
Weaving Families
Click here to visit EACH's website: http://www.equalityforadoptedchildren.org/
Spearheaded by Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and James Inhofe (R-OK) and Representatives Diane Watson (D-CA) and John Boozman (R-AR), the Foreign Adopted Children Equality Act (The Face Act) simplifies the acquisition of citizenship for internationally adopted children and removes these children of American citizens from the immigration process.
The Families for Orphans Act (FFO Act) was also introduced by Senators Landrieu and Inhofe and Representatives Boozman and Watson. The FFO Act would establish the Office of Orphan Policy, Diplomacy and Development within the Department of State which would have the responsibility for developing and implementing a comprehensive strategy advocating for permanent parental care for orphans including the preservation of families and other permanency options such as domestic and international adoption.
More information about the FACE Act and the FFO Act can be found at: http://www.equalityforadoptedchildren.org/legislation/legislation.html
How can you advocate for these children and passage of these bills? We are asking all of you to become actively engaged with your U.S. Congressional Representative and Senators by urging them to support the Foreign Adopted Children Equality Act and the Families for Orphans Act. Your telephone call, letter or e-mail can make a difference in the life of a child who is desperately in need of a permanent, loving family and help improve the acquisition of citizenship rights for internationally adopted children.
1. Sign the online petitions in support of these two bills. These petitions will be delivered to Congress.
The FACE Act: http://gopetition.com/petitions/face-act-of-2009.html
The FFO Act: http://gopetition.com/petitions/families-for-orphans.html
2. Call your Senators and Representatives! In coordination with the National Council for Adoption and Joint Council on International Children's Services, we are suggesting a 72-hour sustained telephone effort by asking you to call Congress on July 28, 29, or 30 and urge your three Members of Congress (two in the Senate and one in the House of Representatives) to become a Co-sponsor of the Foreign Adopted Children Equality Act and the Families For Orphans Act. Ask to speak with the Legislative Director or Chief of Staff and tell them that as a constituent you are requesting their boss' support by becoming a co-sponsor of these bills. Provide them with both the names of the two bills and their corresponding bill numbers (the FACE Act is S.1359 in the Senate and H.R. 3110 in the House and the FFO Act is S. 1458 and H.R. 3070 in the House.) You can direct the staffer to contact the offices of Senators Landrieu and Inhofe or Representatives Watson and Boozman for information on becoming a co-sponsor. For contact information on your Representative please visit http://www.house.gov/ and for information on your Senators please visit http://www.senate.gov/.
3. In addition to contacting your own members of Congress, please contact members who sit on the four Congressional committees who will be the first to vote on these bills. The FACE Act will be considered by the House and Senate Judiciary Committee and also by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The FFO Act will be considered by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Following is contact information for these committees
In the House:
House Committee on Foreign Affairs:
Phone: 202-225-5021 (Democrats) or 202-226-8467 (Republicans)
Email: http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/contact.asp
Members on the Committee who need to know of your support for these bills: http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/members.asp
House Judiciary Committee:
Phone: 202-225-3951 (Democrats) or 202-225-6906 (Republicans)
Members on the Committee who need to know of your support for the FACE Act: http://judiciary.house.gov/about/members.html
In the Senate:
Senate Judiciary Committee:
Phone: 202-224-7703 (Democrats) or 202-224-5225 (Republicans)
Members on the Committee who need to know of your support for the FACE Act: http://judiciary.senate.gov/about/members.cfm
Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Phone: 202-224-4651 (Democrats) or 202-224-6707 (Republicans)
Members on the Committee who need to know of your support for the FFO Act: http://www.foreign.senate.gov/about.html
4. Get the word out. Send this email to friends and family. Post it to your Facebook, My Space, and Twitter accounts, your blog, and personal Web site. On behalf of internationally adopted children and parentless children worldwide, we thank you for your time and your efforts. We can make a positive difference as we work together on behalf of these children.
Sincerely,
J. McLane Layton
President, Equality for Adopted Children (EACH)
___________________________________
** The Families for Orphans Coalition
Buckner International
EACH
Institute for Orphan Advocacy
Institute for Human Services
Joint Council on International Children's Services
Kidsave
National Council For Adoption
Worldwide Orphan Foundation
Weaving Families
Click here to visit EACH's website: http://www.equalityforadoptedchildren.org/
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
An Adoption Story
A story from Adoptive Families magazine about a couple who adopted older children from foster care:
We thought we wanted a baby. A tiny fist wrapped around our fingers. The smell of talcum powder. A coo, a cry, a cuddle. But after trying, unsuccessfully, to conceive—including an attempt at in vitro fertilization—my husband, Kevin, and I decided to explore adoption. Overwhelmed by the prospects of international adoption and the costs and risks of independent domestic adoption, Kevin and I decided to sign up to be foster parents. We could help a child, we reasoned, while trying to decide the best way to get one of our own. We imagined a toddler, delivered to our door, longing to be loved and nurtured.
That's not what happened.
continue . . .http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=628
We thought we wanted a baby. A tiny fist wrapped around our fingers. The smell of talcum powder. A coo, a cry, a cuddle. But after trying, unsuccessfully, to conceive—including an attempt at in vitro fertilization—my husband, Kevin, and I decided to explore adoption. Overwhelmed by the prospects of international adoption and the costs and risks of independent domestic adoption, Kevin and I decided to sign up to be foster parents. We could help a child, we reasoned, while trying to decide the best way to get one of our own. We imagined a toddler, delivered to our door, longing to be loved and nurtured.
That's not what happened.
continue . . .http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=628
Friday, June 26, 2009
Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute
Did you know that until 1975, most States discouraged or directly prohibited foster parents from being considered as potential adoptive parents to children they fostered? It’s true. For the most part, these restrictions existed to protect against foster parents becoming too attached to children who may ultimately be returned to their biological families. Thanks to the educational efforts of advocates, policymakers soon learned that these well meaning laws and policies were, in effect, hindering children from finding a safe, loving and permanent home of their own. So, instead they put in place laws, policies and programs aimed at promoting foster adoption and today 67% of children adopted out of foster care are adopted by their foster parents.
This is just one of many examples of how law and policy can serve as a barrier to children realizing their basic right to a family. Realizing that federal policymakers had the power to overcome such barriers, in 2001, advocates for the world’s orphaned and foster youth founded the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI). In founding CCAI, these advocates sought to match Members of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption’s commitment to finding a home for every child with the information and resources needed to make that dream a reality. Since that time, CCAI has strived to be an objective resource for information critical to advancing the efforts of federal policymakers on behalf of children. Through its five core programs, CCAI’s goal is to educate federal policymakers about the need for reform; coordinate Congressional and community efforts to bring about change and facilitate opportunities for communication and awareness.
“I'M LEGIT” A NEW SONG ABOUT ADOPTION
ZARA PHILLIPS FEATURING DMC
Phillips:
The song 'I'm Legit' has been written to raise awareness about the situation of closed birth records in the U.S. What I mean is the lack of rights that an adult adopted person has to have access to their own original birth certificate.
Both Darryl and I are adopted. I was adopted in the U.K where the records were opened in 1976, which meant that I could gain access to my original birth certficate and find out my birth mother's name. Darryl does not have that right. In fact there are only eight states that allow access, including Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, Kansas, New Hampshire, Oregon, Tennessee, and most recently, Maine. In New Jersey people have been trying for 29 years to change the law. Adopted people who just want to know their birth name, and find out family and medical history.
more . . .
more . . .
Friday, June 19, 2009
To This Adoptive Dad, Every Day Is Father's Day
A great story from NPR:
Morning Edition, June 19, 2009
Adjusting to parenthood is different for every family, and each parent has that aha moment when they realize, "This is my kid." For Brian Miller, that happened in church when his son, Johnathan Emerson, was performing in a Sunday school skit and had the whole congregation laughing.
"And then everybody looked at me," Miller recalls, "and I was sitting around going, 'Yeah, that's my kid.' "
That kid came to him after being abused and then moving from foster home to foster home. Johnathan was 7 when Miller adopted him, and he wasn't quite sure what to make of the experience.
Johnathan suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and didn't understand that the adoption was final. He feared that Miller might give him back. Once when the school called to tell Miller that Johnathan wasn't paying attention, Johnathan ripped the phones out of the wall. He was scared that Miller might change his mind if he did something wrong.
On the flip side, when Miller tried to take privileges — like TV — away from his son, Johnathan would say, "Wait till I tell the judge this one."
Then Miller would have to remind him, "It's over Johnathan, you're adopted. There [are] no more judges in your life."
When people talk about the wonderful thing he did by adopting Johnathan, Miller tells his son, "I say, 'You don't understand. I didn't do this to save some little child.' It's father and son, but it's also, you know, you are my best friend; there's no doubt about it."
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105604344
Produced for Morning Edition by Nadia Reiman. The Senior Producer for StoryCorps is Michael Garofalo. Recorded in partnership with San Luis Obispo SELPA (Special Education Local Plan Area).
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Resources for Parents Adopting From Foster Care
Here are some statistics and a link to find resources on adopting from foster care from Adoptive Families magazine -
FOSTER CARE STATISTICS
- Currently, there are approximately 513,000 children in foster care in the United States. It's estimated that 114,000 are eligible for adoption.
- In 2005, about 51,000 children were adopted from foster care.
- 68% of parents who adopt from foster care are married couples, 27% are single females, 2% are unmarried couples, and 3% are single males.
- Median age of child in foster care: 10.6 years.
- Race/ethnicity of children in foster care: 41% Caucasian, 32% African-American, 18% Hispanic, and 1% Asian; 8% other.
- The average child in foster care goes through three different placements and stays in the system for nearly 29 months.
- Each year, about 20,000 children age out of foster care.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Adoption Community Call to Action for Orphan Film
This is from Adoptive Families magazine -
There is a horror film being released on July 24, called Orphan, about a family who adopts an older girl who "is not what she appears to be." The film is currently being promoted, and the trailer is available at http://orphan-movie.warnerbros.com . The adoption message is extremely negative, and plays into the stereotypes of adopted children, particularly older children, as damaged.
Though we have not been able to preview the entire movie, the trailer leads us to believe the movie will send a horrific message about adoption. The adoption community is protesting the release of the film. We urge you to contact the makers of the film, as well as your local movie theater chains, with your concerns. Feel free to copy or adapt the sample letter below.
To whom it may concern:
I want to express my outrage about the release of the movie, Orphan. The film plays into the stereotype of adopted children as damaged and dangerous. It discourages families from pursuing adoption, particularly adoption of older children, who are especially in need of loving homes. As an adoptive parent, I am horrified by the line in the trailer that "it must be hard to love an adopted child as much as your own." Adoption has often been misrepresented in the media, but the previews for this film are unbelievably offensive. I urge you to change the promotional materials, and to consider holding the release of the film altogether.
Contact information:
Warner Bros.4000 Warner Blvd.Burbank, CA 91522818-954-6000
Silver Pictures4000 Warner Blvd. 90Burbank, CA 91522-0001818-954-4490
Time Warner Inc.One Time Warner CenterNew York, NY 10019-8016212-484-8000
Thank you for your support.
The editors of Adoptive Families
There is a horror film being released on July 24, called Orphan, about a family who adopts an older girl who "is not what she appears to be." The film is currently being promoted, and the trailer is available at http://orphan-movie.warnerbros.com . The adoption message is extremely negative, and plays into the stereotypes of adopted children, particularly older children, as damaged.
Though we have not been able to preview the entire movie, the trailer leads us to believe the movie will send a horrific message about adoption. The adoption community is protesting the release of the film. We urge you to contact the makers of the film, as well as your local movie theater chains, with your concerns. Feel free to copy or adapt the sample letter below.
To whom it may concern:
I want to express my outrage about the release of the movie, Orphan. The film plays into the stereotype of adopted children as damaged and dangerous. It discourages families from pursuing adoption, particularly adoption of older children, who are especially in need of loving homes. As an adoptive parent, I am horrified by the line in the trailer that "it must be hard to love an adopted child as much as your own." Adoption has often been misrepresented in the media, but the previews for this film are unbelievably offensive. I urge you to change the promotional materials, and to consider holding the release of the film altogether.
Contact information:
Warner Bros.4000 Warner Blvd.Burbank, CA 91522818-954-6000
Silver Pictures4000 Warner Blvd. 90Burbank, CA 91522-0001818-954-4490
Time Warner Inc.One Time Warner CenterNew York, NY 10019-8016212-484-8000
Thank you for your support.
The editors of Adoptive Families
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Grandmother seeking a family for her grandchildren
The following email came to the attention of CGC members.
Nothing in life is by chance. Just yesterday I had lunch with a friend and an elderly acquaintance of my friend came over from another table to ask for assistance. Here is her story for which we told her we would do what we can. Perhaps you are just the person to help.
For several years this lady whom I'll call "Lydia" cared for her sick daughter - a single mother of two. While ill the daughter was unable to care for both children and so the oldest - a boy went to live with "Lydia". Her daughter passed several years ago and now Lydia has been caring for the children. She's extraordinary. She tutors them afterschool, she makes sure they attend the grief counseling center in Maitland (she goes too). She's received scholarships from the YMCA for the children. She's adopted the children to be sure to provide for them and protect them....
Lydia is now 78. She's well aware of what can happen at any time and wants to make arrangements for an open adoption prior to her death so the children do not get lost or go into foster care. There's a 7 year old girl and soon to be 11 year old boy. Lydia would like them to go together to a loving Christian married couple/family. She's tried the Jewish Center in Maitland, has had ministers from the church help her look and an attorney who helped her adopt all looking. Can you help? Do you know of such a family/couple?
Nothing in life is by chance. Just yesterday I had lunch with a friend and an elderly acquaintance of my friend came over from another table to ask for assistance. Here is her story for which we told her we would do what we can. Perhaps you are just the person to help.
For several years this lady whom I'll call "Lydia" cared for her sick daughter - a single mother of two. While ill the daughter was unable to care for both children and so the oldest - a boy went to live with "Lydia". Her daughter passed several years ago and now Lydia has been caring for the children. She's extraordinary. She tutors them afterschool, she makes sure they attend the grief counseling center in Maitland (she goes too). She's received scholarships from the YMCA for the children. She's adopted the children to be sure to provide for them and protect them....
Lydia is now 78. She's well aware of what can happen at any time and wants to make arrangements for an open adoption prior to her death so the children do not get lost or go into foster care. There's a 7 year old girl and soon to be 11 year old boy. Lydia would like them to go together to a loving Christian married couple/family. She's tried the Jewish Center in Maitland, has had ministers from the church help her look and an attorney who helped her adopt all looking. Can you help? Do you know of such a family/couple?
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