Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Join Hopscotch Adoptions And Listen To The Power Of A Wish: Matching $1 per Listen


Make a Wish Abigail and Caroline Rv
Ho! Ho! Ho! and Happy Holidays!
We have some exciting news to share with you! Hopscotch Adoptions’ proudly introduces you to the first Make A Wish family to have received the gift of an adoption from the Make A Wish foundation, thanks to the North Texas Chapter.  During this magical time of the year when we know the power of a wish, a gift and a miracle, you don’t want to miss this spellbinding podcast.
Audible is generously making a $1 donation for EVERY LISTEN of The Power Of A Wish podcast. One listen equals one dollar, up to $25,000 dollars! Road tripping for the holiday? Baking a million cookies? Listen and support the Make-A-Wish foundation and their important work. If you share on social media, don’t forget to tag your local Make-A-Wish chapter! The Power Of A Wish is family friendly so please share widely this simple way to support the organization.
You can listen online at Wish.org/podcast
or Apple Podcasts (aka iTunes) and give them a 5-star rating to help other listeners find the show.
“Abigail’s wish was a first-of-its-kind for Make-A-Wish. When Abigail was 13, she was adopted from a Bulgarian orphanage by her parents Dorcas and Tony. A bittersweet story for Abigail, because she left behind Caroline, her roommate and closest friend at the orphanage. When she was approached for a wish, Abigail asked her parents for their blessing to adopt Caroline. After two years and lots of support from the community, Abigail’s wish came true – the two friends were united – and a family is finally complete.”
Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
The Land: An Adventure Play Documentary
It’s Not What You Think: A Middlebury Original Podcast
#eastnc.wish.org

Friday, December 15, 2017

YOU DID IT, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WON – Adoption Provisions SAVED in Final Tax Reform Bill

Good evening Adoption Advocates,
image003The final tax reform bill and conference report was unveiled this evening and we are pleased to share that because of your advocacy and efforts both the adoption tax credit and the tax benefit for employer provided adoption benefits have been SAVED!
Over the past two months your advocacy convinced the House to remove its provision eliminating the adoption tax credit. Your voices convinced the Senate to leave all adoption provisions alone in its bill (preserving both the adoption tax credit and tax benefit for employer provided adoption benefits.) While the adoption tax credit was saved in the final bills that passed both chambers, the employer benefit would have been eliminated in the House bill. But again through the power of your voices in calls, e-mails, and letters, the conference committee decided to use the Senate’s version which preserved the employer adoption benefit! (See pages 111-112 of this document to read where it was preserved!)
In the end, the conference committee’s final tax reform bill saves the adoption tax credit and the tax benefit for employer provided adoption benefits! In a bill that changes many things with the tax code, Members of Congress heard from so many of you about this important issue that these adoption provisions were retained. Children and families won!
We expect Congress will vote on this legislation next week, and it is expected to pass.
This couldn’t have happened without your efforts – THANK YOU!
The ATC Working Group Executive Committee
American Academy of Adoption Attorneys
Adopt America Network
Christian Alliance for Orphans
Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (Secretariat)
Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
Donaldson Adoption Institute
National Council for Adoption
North American Council on Adoptable Children
RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association
ShowHope
Voice for Adoption

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Grief in Adopted Children- One hour left to register!

It’s not too late to register!!!


GRIEF 12-13-2017
Grief in Adopted Children– The Webinar airs tonight at 7pm central time and there is STILL time to register. 
Can’t make it tonight?  Too much craziness going on at your house during those evening witching hours?  I get it!  Everyone who registers will receive the recording that you can access whenever, wherever, and forever!!!!
Grief is inevitable.  You are going to have to face it with your children.  I can help!!!
We can do hard things together.
CLICK HERE to register!!!

Monday, December 4, 2017

SOAR’s Annual Online Auction Starting at 10:00am EST TODAY!!

Click here to participate in SOAR’s Annual Online Auction from December 4th-14th.
Auction2017

Russian Embassy Invitation to The Nutcracker

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To FRUA Families in the Mid Atlantic Region who have adopted from Russia:
FRUA INC has received the attached invitation for our FRUA  families to join the Yolka holiday festivities at the Russian Embassy in Washington D.C. on Dec. 16. If you plan to attend, RSVP directly to the Russian Embassy and if you are bringing children, please note that. Please note that the embassy does not confirm receipt of your email; simply assume that they have you on the list. You will need identification with you when you arrive for the party.
We’re pleased that we could facilitate this invitation to the embassy’s Yolka celebration for our FRUA members.
Sincere Holiday Wishes,
Jan Wondra
Chair
National Board of Directors
Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption, Including Neighboring Countries 
Hope, Help and Community for Adoptive Families
Angel in Adoption, 2012,  Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute 
chair@frua.org
Mobile: 303-506-5269
FRUA
PO Box 2944
Merrifield, VA 22116 

Friday, December 1, 2017

Putting the Pieces Together: The Significance of the Child’s Story

NCFA Releases Adoption Advocate No. 114 | Putting the Pieces Together: The Significance of the Child’s Story
One Merry Baby Christmas
Throughout a child’s life, they will have questions about their past, whether they were adopted through foster care, infant, intercountry, kinship, or transracial adoption. In the December issue of the Adoption Advocate, Debbie Wynne anticipates some of those common questions and poses ways in which adoptive parents can proactively and lovingly support those needs, build a safe and trusting relationship with their child, and provide healthy opportunities for their child to learn and grow.
Download the PDF of Adoption Advocate No. 114 or read the web version.

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

IF YOU BELIEVE EVERY CHILD MUST HAVE A PERMANENT FAMILY TO BE LOVED AND PROTECTED, YOUR VOICE MATTERS TODAY!


“We are called for such a time as this and we won’t give up until every child has the opportunity to be loved and cared for in a forever family.”
  • We believe in the goals of Save Adoptions
  • Every child deserves a safe, loving, permanent family
  • For children without parents due to death, abandonment or termination of rights, adoption should be readily available in their own country or, if not possible within their own country in a reasonable period of time, through intercountry adoption.
  • Adoption should be available for every eligible child with as few obstacles as possible, through a transparent, ethical and honest adoption system.
  • The government’s role in intercountry adoption should be to support the human rights of a child to a permanent family and to encourage other countries to develop adoption systems that are transparent, ethical and honest and protect the rights of a child.
  • Institutionalization of children should be a last resort for children for whom a permanent family is not available.
Please share and ask your family and friends to do the same.

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Panel of Parents Adopting Older Kids: Surviving that 1st Year – Creating a Family

Source: https://creatingafamily.org/

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Adopting and fostering older kids is hard for both the child and the parent, especially the first year. A panel of moms who have adopted older kids share their tips for surviving the first year home. Host Dawn Davenport, Executive Director of Creating a Family, the national infertility & adoption education and support nonprofit, interviews Melissa Basham, mom to 4 boys adopted from foster care; Abigail Betancourt, mom to 2 kids adopted from foster care; Jan Egozi, mom to one child adopted internationally; and Shelley McMullen, mom to 1 child adopted internationally.

Listen to podcast.

Your Opportunity To Impact Adoptive Family Services – Please Take This Survey.

survey

Adoption Support Alliance is a nonprofit organization in Charlotte, North Carolina that was founded to support adoptive families.  They are conducting a survey of adoptive parents to learn more about how They can best meet families’ needs.  Please take ten minutes (or less) to share your thoughts with them.
 
Adoption Support Alliance greatly appreciates your time and insights: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/T7HLNYV (Please share and re-tweet this survey)

Friday, November 10, 2017

The Adoption Tax Credit has been preserved in tax reform


image002National Council For Adoption is excited to announce that the House of Representatives has preserved the adoption tax credit in the Chairman’s markup of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the Senate has preserved the ATC in their newly-released tax reform proposal.

Adoption is a cause that unites citizens across party lines. People with differing beliefs and priorities can all agree that children deserve the opportunity to thrive in loving, permanent families. Over the past few weeks, champions in the House and Senate have chosen to take a firm stand for children and families, insisting that the adoption tax credit remain a national priority. With 75,000 children adopted in 2014 by non-relative American parents and thousands more kinship adoptions, we know that the tax credit makes a huge, tangible difference. Families may need additional support to care for their children’s particular needs and the adoption tax credit can help reduce the financial stress associated with welcoming a child into one’s home. In fact, we ask Congress to make the tax credit refundable, which would have a bigger impact for middle- and lower-income parents.

In the past week, thousands of families, professionals, and adoption advocates have stepped forward through AdoptionTaxCredit.org to share how the adoption tax credit makes a difference. Congress has heard your voices loud and clear. We hope that advocates across the country are encouraged to see that your voices have effected change.

The journey is not over, though. These tax reform proposals are working documents and may undergo changes before they reach a final vote. If you haven’t contacted Congress about the adoption tax credit—or if it’s been a while since you last reached out—now is the perfect time to reaffirm Congress’s decision to maintain the ATC’s current availability and amount, and ask Congress to make it refundable. Go to AdoptionTaxCredit.org/Take-Action to send a message to your elected officials.

Be sure to send a word of thanks to your Members of Congress, the House Ways and Means Committee, and the Senate Finance Committee. In particular, NCFA appreciates the work on Chairman Kevin Brady and Representatives Mike Kelly, Diane Black, Trent Franks, and Danny K. Davis for their efforts to #SaveTheATC.

Below is the official statement from the Adoption Tax Credit Working Group:

WASHINGTON: Save The Adoption Tax Credit Working Group issues the following statement in response to the House Ways and Means Committee’s updated tax reform bill and the release of Senate Republicans’ proposed tax reform bill:

“We are deeply appreciative that the House Ways and Means Committee has reversed its proposed elimination of the adoption tax credit and has taken a step to support American families by retaining the adoption tax credit as part of H.R. 1, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Additionally, we are pleased the Senate Republican’s proposal has also retained this important tax credit.”

“As the legislative process for tax reform moves forward, Congress should ensure that any final bill maintains the current availability and amount of the adoption tax credit for all Americans that currently qualify. Anything less would result in Congress picking winners and losers among children and their families. Beyond retaining the current credit, improvements should include reinstating refundability of this credit so more middle and lower income families can benefit as they welcome a child into their home.”

“On behalf of the Adoption Tax Credit Working Group, a coalition of more than 150 adoption and family building advocates, nonprofits, attorneys, and religious organizations across the United States, we appreciate the work that Chairman Kevin Brady and Representatives Mike Kelly, Diane Black, Trent Franks, and Danny Davis did to reinstate the adoption tax credit in the House bill. We look forward to working with all Members of Congress to preserve and enhance the credit. All children deserve a forever family.”

Monday, November 6, 2017

AFG’s Charity Gala In The Spirit of Giving
Tbilisi, Georgia & Online

Dear Friends,

American Friends of Georgia is hosting its Annual Charity Gala on Saturday, December 9, 2017 to restore a tradition of philanthropy and to benefit the most needy children and elderly in Georgia.


 Nikoloz and his older friend in front of Dzegvi Shelter

The goal of this Charity Gala is to help us to finish rebuilding the Dzegvi Shelter and protect more vulnerable children and abandoned elderly.


Lena Kiladze, Nana Gogochuri and adult residents at Dzegvi Shelter

The events committee is putting together an extraordinary program for the evening with a cocktail reception, live auction, raffle prizes, dancing party and New Year surprises and lots more.

We are looking forward to seeing you on Saturday, December 9, 2017 at 6:00 PM at Hotel Biltmore in Tbilisi.

To purchase tickets to attend the gala, please contact Kate Kalandarishvili at kate.kal53@gmail.com or 599 262005.



Even if you can’t join us in Tbilisi, you can sponsor a table in your name for $1,000 or a chair for $100. We greatly appreciate your generosity towards the gala’s success. The chairs will seat press persons and AFG volunteers in Georgia. Click the ‘Donate Now’ button and designate ‘AFG Charity Gala 2017 Sponsorship’.


Dzegvi Shelter, after phase 1 of major renovation: demoliton, rebuilt structure, walls, new roof, and new windows

AFG is at the forefront of this humanitarian response but we can’t do it alone! We need your help.


 Long time Dzegvi resident, Natalia, with her beloved companion Beko


  Kristine, a child who lives at the Dzegvi Shelter




Thank You!




If you or your company are able to contribute to the event, we would be very grateful. Please remember your contribution is tax-deductible and will allow us to help the most needy children and elderly in Georgia.

Please email kate.kal53@gmail.com to sponsor.

We thank you for your support of AFG!
Marusya Chavchavadze & Lena Kiladze
www.afgeorgia.org

Save the Adoption Tax Credit Call To Action


adoptiontaxcreditThe recently unveiled House tax reform proposal, the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” would eliminate the Adoption Tax Credit! The House tax committee is set to begin considering this legislation on Monday, November 6th, and the legislation is expected to come to the House floor shortly thereafter.

We need your help now to Save the Adoption Tax Credit! Here is how you can help:

  • Send your Members of Congress a message by visiting http://AdoptionTaxCredit.org/Take-Action/. Be sure to include your name, full address, and email address so that your Members of Congress are able to respond to their constituent!
  •  
If you have already contacted your Members of Congress about this issue, thank you, and please do so again! If you’ve been waiting to make your voice heard on saving the Adoption Tax Credit, now is the time to take action!

There is still time to participate in a Call to Action to save the Adoption Tax Credit! We wanted to pass along two items for you to consider using:

  1. Media Toolkit – Attached is a document explaining how you can engage with local media as well as write and submit op-eds and letters to the editor from your family or organization to local publications. As a reminder, writing in your own words about the importance of the adoption tax credit and sharing your personal story is highly recommended!
  2. Tweet Sheet – Attached is a document with ideas for tweets your family or organization can send out. Feel free to use them as a template for your own ideas! Also included in this document is a list of Twitter handles for every Member of Congress to save you time.
And as a reminder, please visit www.AdoptionTaxCredit.org/take-action/ to send your Members of Congress a message to Save the Adoption Tax Credit!

Thanks everyone, and please keep up the great work!

The ATC Working Group Executive Committee
American Academy of Adoption Attorneys
Adopt America Network
Christian Alliance for Orphans
Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (Secretariat)
Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
Donaldson Adoption Institute
National Council for Adoption
North American Council on Adoptable Children
RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association
ShowHope
Voice for Adoption

Thursday, November 2, 2017

Why the International Adoption Process Needs an Overhaul

Source: http://www.brownpoliticalreview.org

By Alexa Clark

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Year-long waits, onerous assessments, and disappointment—prospective adopters in developed countries have a lot to deal with when trying to adopt a child. The scarcity of adoptable children and rigor of the adoption processes in developed countries drive prospective adopters abroad in the hope of finding children to join their families. Due to the prevalence of disease, poverty, and abandonment as well as fledgling social safety nets, less developed countries often have many children in state care that are in pressing need of adoption. In the latter half of the 20th century, many of these countries welcomed international adoption. Under that system, children were matched with more affluent parents who could provide better lives for them than could be expected in the state system, and overcrowded state children’s homes were relieved of the difficulty of caring beyond their capacities.

While international adoption is an ideal solution for both the overcrowding of state childcare systems in developing countries and the difficulties of adopting children in developed ones, it’s currently on the decline. Intercountry adoption fell by 64 percent between 2004 and 2013 in the top 10 adopting countries, indicating a seismic shift away from the practice of adopting children abroad. While modest gains in health and income mean fewer children are orphaned and abandoned, these factors alone do not explain the huge shift away from intercountry adoption. Rather, the decline is the result of an international law that tightens the regulatory barriers to intercountry adoption, decreasing its attractiveness to prospective adopters and increasing negative sentiments towards international adoption in countries where it used to be common.

Continue reading.

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Happy Halloween! Mom needs coffee…..

Hopscotch Halloween Costume 2017

Post your happiest Halloween photos on our Facebook page by November 2nd! Then we’ll draw the name of one mom (or dad) for a $20.00 Starbucks gift card (because you work hard and have definitely earned it!)

Click here!

Monday, October 30, 2017

Host the Empowered To Connect Conference Simulcast at Your Church!

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Host a Simulcast at Your Church
The Empowered to Connect Conference can now be broadcast at churches across the country. Parents everywhere can have access to these practical tools that help bring hope and healing to any child who has experienced trauma or the loss of parental care.

Read more.

Friday, October 20, 2017

Act Now: Don’t Let Congress Put Your Adoption Tax Credit In The Grave!


Tax Credit Grave 09-20-2017Congress is moving forward quickly on tax reform, and it is essential that we remind them of the importance of the Adoption Tax Credit. The “Unified Framework” recently agreed upon between the Congressional Majority and President Trump’s Administration proposes to eliminate nearly all tax credits — this means the Adoption Tax Credit is on the table. We need you to take action immediately to urge your Senators and Representative to protect the Adoption Tax Credit!

You can help in two ways:

1) Send your Members of Congress a message by visiting http://AdoptionTaxCredit.org/Take-Action/. Be sure to include your name, full address, and email address so that your Members of Congress are able to respond to their constituent!

2) Request a meeting with your Members of Congress or their staff to discuss this issue. Visit your Member’s website and make a scheduling request — you can do these meetings from your home state! If you need help scheduling a meeting, please let Ted Prettyman know (tprettyman@simsstrategies.com). These meetings are most effective in groups, so contact your fellow adoption advocates and have them join you! We can also provide you with handout information on the Adoption Tax Credit to give to the office.

Thank you for your advocacy to help save the Adoption Tax Credit!

Julie Claiborn Shull Director of Communications
National Council For Adoption

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

2017 FRUA Young Adult Membership – Webinars!

Join as a FRUA Young Adult by Oct. 22 to access a Webinar created especially for you!

frua

October marks the first of many FRUA YA special membership benefits – "Adoption: the Identity Project", a webinar made by and for young adults, is produced by Adoption Learning Partners and made available by a partnership between FRUA and ALP.

FRUA’s new young adult membership, is specifically targeted to the needs and interests of young adults adopted from the 32 countries of the former Soviet bloc which FRUA INC serves.
Join by October 22, and receive free access to the Webinar. Then on November 5, join our FRUA Young adult leaders, Paul Jones and Stephan Petryczka, in the first FRUA YA national conference call. They want your input to plan future YA events, and will discuss upcoming orphan support efforts, which will become a service project directed by our young adults.

Don’t wait! If you are adopted and age 21 or older, join now! Or if you have an adopted young adult age 21 or older — tell them to join now!

Annual membership is just $10 – but the hope help and community of a FRUA YA membership will be priceless. To learn more about the benefits of the FRUA YA membership, follow this link:  Young Adult Membership

Or, to go directly to the YA Membership Application Form, click YA Application.

Looking forward to a growing FRUA YA community!

The FRUA National Board of Directors

Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption, Including Neighboring Countries Hope, Help and Community for Adoptive Families

Monday, October 2, 2017

Supporting Military Families in Adoption, by Laura Beauvais

By Laura Beauvais
military-information

Military families have the potential to be outstanding adoptive families. They often have an incredible support network of friends. Military families tend to be flexible and adaptable and those are qualities that can help make great parents. The installments, where they often live, usually provide no-cost health care, including occupational, physical, and speech therapy, as well as counseling. Dental and vision care are usually provided with a co-pay. Even when military personnel move, the support systems are similar in the next location, so these families do not have to “relearn” what is available at the next location. If an adopted child has serious needs that cannot be met at an installation’s facilities, the military parent cannot be transferred to that installation, as outlined in the Exceptional Family Member Program.

Continue reading.

Ukraine: Missing Post Adoption Report Notice

This Adoption Notice is a reminder to adoption service providers and adoptive parents of Ukraine’s post-adoption reporting requirements. In accordance with the Ukrainian Family Code, all parents who adopt children from Ukraine must provide post-adoption reports every year for the first three years after the adoption is finalized, and then once every three years until the child turns 18. This reporting must include information on the general welfare, education, upbringing, and health of the child. For more information about the contents of the reports, please visit the Ministry for Foreign Affair’s web page. You may also access the report from this link.

Continue reading.

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

September 2017 | News and updates

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Foundation Announces 2017 Top 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces

For the 11th year, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption surveyed the nation's employers in search of those with the best adoption benefits. The Foundation compares financial reimbursement and paid leave given to adoptive parents. This year, there is a new company topping the list.
American Express ranked number one, moving up 30 spots on the list from 2016. The company offers U.S.-based, regular, full-time and part-time employees up to $35,000 to aid with the cost of an adoption (up to a maximum of two events per employee). The company also offers up to 20 weeks of paid parental leave to women and men welcoming a child through adoption.

Click here to view the complete Top 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplace list. The Foundation also recognizes employers by size, industry, best leave and foster care benefits. The 2018 survey will open in January.

The Wendy's Company was the original advocate of the Adoption-Friendly Workplace program. The company put in place robust workplace adoption benefits more than 25 years ago. In 2016, The Wendy's Company was awarded Forever Family status, which is an emeritus position on the Top 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplace list that recognizes their continued commitment to these crucial benefits.

Donate Now

Survey: More Americans are considering children in foster care when looking to adopt
By the time Olivia was 10 years old, she'd spent more than half her life in foster care. "It was painful because I never knew what was going to happen," she said. "I never knew if I was going to get to stay or if I would have to move again."

Unfortunately for Olivia, she was forced to move from house to house for seven years while living in foster care. Just as she was getting settled, she'd have to pick up and leave. Until the day she met Dwain and Lorie Hargis.

"I had never even imagined adoption, not at any point in my life," said Lorie. "But this felt absolutely natural, like she belonged here and was meant to be a part of our family."

The transformation that took place in the Hargis home in Cecilia, Kentucky, reflects a shift in attitudes across the country. According to a new national survey conducted by Nielsen on behalf of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, 25 percent of those who have not adopted in the United States have considered adoption. Of those individuals, nearly 80 percent have considered foster care adoption, which is up 7 percent from 2012 and an all-time high.

Click here to view the press release and full survey results.

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Joe and Cathy TurnerSupporter Spotlight: "We want the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption to be part of our legacy."

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is grateful to be supported by so many generous donors. This month we are highlighting Joe and Cathy Turner, Wendy's franchisees who choose to give back to the Foundation through personal giving in addition to in-restaurant campaigns.

How did you first get involved with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption?
When the Foundation began 25 years ago, we were early adopters of every fundraising program that we could do in our local Wendy's to make people aware of the Foundation and its work. It is with great pride that our franchise, First Sun Management, has been one of the major contributors to the Foundation over the years. It is because of our belief in its mission and our personal commitment to this cause that we recently included a gift to the Foundation in our estate plans. We want the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption to be part of our legacy.

Why do you support foster care adoption and the Foundation's mission? We support foster care adoption because of what Dave Thomas said - that everybody deserves a good home. What Dave experienced as a child led him to create an organization that could help children nationwide, and today the work of the Foundation is doing exactly that.

What would you tell someone who is thinking about making a donation to the Foundation? We want everyone in our communities to understand that foster care adoption is about changing lives. If any one of us just changes one child's life, the impact that person can have as an adult can be unbelievably positive. Now, imagine that impact as the Foundation works to change the lives of thousands of chilidren by increasing the number of adoptions from foster care across the country. The Foundation has done a phenomenal job so far. It is true - everyone deserves a good home.



frosty.pngThank you Wendy's and Frosty 5k Participants!

Thank you to the 750 runners and walkers, supported by The Wendy's Company and other sponsors, who helped to raise more than $100,000 for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. We are so grateful for your continued support of our mission: to find a loving, permanent home for
every child waiting in foster care to be adopted.




The F Word series graphic
Foundation Partners with New Foster to Adopt Web Series

The Foundation is proud to partner with "The F Word," a new web series documenting one couple's journey through foster care adoption.

Check out the current episodes here and follow us on Twitter (@DTFA) to participate in our live Twitter chat with the series' stars at 2 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 19.

NOTICE FOR LATVIA ADOPTIVE FAMILIES: Post Adoption Reports





NOTICE: Latvia – Post Adoption Reports

This Alert Supersedes the Alert Issued on November 17, 2016

The Ministry of Welfare has informed the Department that they are still missing post-adoption reports from U.S. families who adopted children from Latvia. The Ministry has urged the Department to stress the importance of post-adoption report submission to adoption service providers and adoptive families. For this reason, the Department strongly urges you to comply with Latvia’s post-adoption requirements. Compliance with Latvia’s post-adoption reporting requirements would also contribute to an understanding of the positive impact that intercountry adoption has for children from Latvia who are living in the United States.

Latvian law requires that two post-adoption reports be submitted: one after the first year following the adoption and one after the second year. Reports should be notarized and contain an Apostille certification. Two extra months are allowed for translation and submission of the report. Post-adoption reports must be submitted with a translation in Latvian. The reports can be conducted by the adoptive family’s adoption service provider or the appropriate child welfare officials in the state where the child resides.

The reports must be submitted to the Latvian Ministry of Welfare by mail:
Latvian Adoption Authority
Children and Family Policy Department
Ministry of Welfare
28 Skolas St.
Riga, Latvia, LV-1331

If your report will not arrive by November 1, please also send an electronic version to the following email address, while the hard copy is in route: lm@lm.gov.lv.

Please continue to monitor travel.state.gov for updated information on adoption in Latvia

Friday, September 15, 2017

The Importance of Obtaining Certificates of Citizenship


citizenship1Nobody enjoys filing paperwork or paying filing fees, and for families that have completed an international adoption, they often think they have had more than enough of both. Fortunately, most international adoptions now result in a certificate of citizenship (COC) being issued without any additional process or fees. That has not always been the case, and still is not always so, especially in cases where the child was issued an IR-4/HR-4 visa. In these situations, the child does not automatically become a U.S. citizen, and the placement requires finalization here in the United States.
Obtaining a COC for any child adopted internationally is an important way to definitively establish and demonstrate citizenship. When the cost of COCs was significantly increasing last year, NCFA hosted a webinar led by McLane Layton and Christine Poarch. NCFA also made available a printable factsheet addressing FAQs about certificates of citizenship. These resources continue to be helpful to better understand this issue.

Adoptive families may ask, “Why would I pay for this if I already have proof of citizenship with a U.S. passport or state issued birth certificate?” Although there may be other ways and options to prove citizenship, the Certificate of Citizenship remains the most permanent and definitive way of doing so. Unlike passports, the certificate of citizenship never expires. State issued birth certificates are not always accepted as proof of citizenship, with issues raised if the name has changed or if the birth certificate lists a foreign place of birth.

Adoption professionals who have worked in this field for a number of years strongly advise a family to obtain a COC on behalf of their internationally adopted child. Sue Hollar, the Executive Director & CEO of The Barker Adoption Foundation, is a strong advocate of agencies working to ensure families have obtained COCs. She says, “Adoption agencies and adoptive families have an ethical and moral responsibility to these kids. At Barker, we hold a financial deposit from families and return it upon receiving a copy of the COC… No kid/adult should suffer the consequences of not having the documentation.”

NCFA strongly encourages adoption agencies to obtain copies of the certificate of citizenship as part of their post-adoption reporting. This practice will ensure that families are obtaining their COCs within a reasonable timeframe upon returning, instead of many years later when it may be more difficult for the adoptive family to locate required documentation.

The application for a COC is called the N-600 and can be accessed through USCIS’s website here.
For more family-oriented intercountry adoption resources, visit the Global Adoption section of NCFA’s blog.

Friday, September 8, 2017

Research Study Participants Sought Regarding Transracial Adoption

16972215_s-sizedAs many of you know, NCFA is committed to, and passionate about, research regarding adoption.  Some of that research is assembled and published by NCFA, including our Adoption: By the Numbers, where they report the most comprehensive statistics on adoption in the United States.   In addition to the research they conduct, they also promote the research done by others to further our understanding of adoption and issues related to adoption.  Toward that end, NCFA is sending along information about a research project being conducted regarding transracial adoption and foster care.

A researcher at Florida State University is interested in connecting with parents who are fostering or have adopted transracially.  If you think this description is a good fit for your clients or network, please consider passing this information along to them.

Parents who are currently fostering or have adopted transracially are needed for a research study.  Interested participants will take a pre-course measure, be randomly assigned a treatment or control course, and then complete a post-course measure.  All participation in the study is completed online, and the fosterparentcollege.com course login id and password will be assigned to each participant by the researcher.  Participants will have 30 days to complete the course.  Total time to complete the surveys and course online takes 3 hours, and participants can come and go as they please. 

Participants who complete the study will receive a $20 Visa gift card.  Interested participants should e-mail or contact Jordan Montgomery at jem14e@my.fsu.edu or 850-661-6454.

Sincerely,
Ryan Hanlon, MA, MS, MSW Vice President of Education, Research, and Constituent Services
National Council For Adoption

Monday, September 4, 2017

8 Crucial Tips For Kinship Adoption

Source: https://creatingafamily.org/

By Dawn Davenport

tips-for-kinship-adoption1

Here are our top eight tips for smoothly integrating children adopted through kinship adoption into your family.
  1. Get Educated. Adoptive parenting is different from parenting kids from birth. Not worse, not better, but different. Parents who adopt a niece, nephew, or grandchild need the same preparation as other adoptive parents. We have a ton of resources at Adoption A-Z Resource Guide.
  2. Seek Expertise. You will need to find an adoption attorney or adoption agency to help you navigate through a kinship adoption. We have a great free multimedia guide to help you-Creating a Family’s Multimedia Guide on Choosing an Adoption Agency or Attorney. Make sure to ask whomever you hire how many kinship adoptions they do each year in your state.
  3. Keep the focus on the child and what is in the child’s best interest as you navigate the post adoption relationships in your family. This is sometimes easier said than done, so spend time pre-adoption talking with your extended family members about what you think is best for the child.
Continue reading.

The Scariest Special Need of All—Would You Adopt This Child?

Source: https://creatingafamily.org

By Dawn Davenport


special-need-adoption-sexual-abuse

In my experience there is one special need that scares prospective adoptive parents the most. The one where even parents who have a wide range of acceptance for special needs will often say “no”. The special need that is preventing thousands of children from being adopted. That special need is being the victim of sexual abuse. Yes, that special need is actually being the victim of abuse!

Through no fault of their own these children have been sexually abused and are now being victimized again by the near universal fear of raising a child that has been sexually abused. Irony anyone?

I have been told by countless social worker that if the child has a record of sexual abuse in their file or a record of showing the symptoms of having been sexually abused, the chances of finding an adoptive family becomes infinitely harder. This breaks my heart.

Continue reading.

Friday, August 25, 2017

Pediatric Information Sheet for Pediatric Health Providers and Parents


Dear Families and Educators,

The national Quality Improvement Center for Adoption and Guardianship Support and Preservation (QIC-AG) has developed a fact sheet about adoption tailored for pediatric health care providers. This fact sheet is designed to raise awareness about the unique needs of children who have been adopted, and to provide concrete tips on how these professionals can effectively work with these children.

This fact sheet can also be used by adoptive parents as tools for engaging their child’s health care providers in understanding the unique needs of their child.

Download Ask About Adoption – Pediatric Information Fact Sheet (PDF)

For more information contact:
Selena Childs
Clinical Associate Professor
UNC-CH School of Social Work
sbchilds@email.unc.edu
919-843-8144

Education Adoption Information Sheet for Teachers and Parents

Dear Families and Educators,

The national Quality Improvement Center for Adoption and Guardianship Support and Preservation (QIC-AG) has developed a fact sheet about adoption tailored for  teachers. These fact sheets are designed to raise awareness about the unique needs of children who have been adopted, and to provide concrete tips on how these professionals can effectively work with these children.

The fact sheets can also be used by adoptive parents as tools for engaging their child’s teachers in understanding the unique needs of their child.

Download Ask About Adoption – Education Fact Sheet (PDF)

For more information contact:
Selena Childs
Clinical Associate Professor
UNC-CH School of Social Work
sbchilds@email.unc.edu
919-843-8144

Friday, August 18, 2017

Registration Is Open for the National Permanency Conference – Special Parent Rate!

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Please share this news with those parenting children with histories of abuse, neglect or trauma.  The National Permanency Conference has released a special Parent/Caregiver rate for the conference, allowing families to gain professional-level knowledge and insight from world renowned experts. To register or get more information about the conference, please visit this link.

Thursday, August 3, 2017

Attention to All 2017 Summer Host Families for Ukraine – Big News!

Ukraine App Fee Waived 08-04-2017Dear Summer 2017 Host Families:
Hopscotch Adoptions will be waiving our $250 application fee for any summer 2017 host families!!  If you would like to complete your adoption through Hopscotch, please indicate you are a Summer 2017 host family on the application and we’ll waive the application fee!

Want learn more about adopting from Ukraine?

Monday, Aug 7, 2017    7:00 PM – 8:00 PM EDT
 
Please join our meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/634854341 
 
You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: +1 (224) 501-3412
Access Code: 634-854-341 

**Please be sure to keep your phones/computer speakers on “mute” during the call so that everyone can hear clearly.

We hope that you can join us!  If you are unable to attend the webinar and would like to contact me directly, or request an information packet, please reach out to me at (770) 309-4239 or ukraine@hopscotchadoptions.org.  

PS: Pease note Hopscotch conducts home study reports for families located in North Carolina and New York. If you reside in Georgia or Tennessee, we can refer you to our preferred agency partners!

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Two Adoptees’ Stories: Two Perspectives on Growing Up Adopted

Source: http://www.rainbowkids.com

By Katie and Jacob

Meet Katie

feat_smMy name is Katelyn, and my family and friends call me Katie. I am a junior in high school in North Carolina, where I am at the top of my class academically (with a 4.4 GPA). I am also a competitive gymnast and have committed to a full Division I scholarship at a wonderful university in my state. What people don’t know about me is that I was adopted – adopted from Novosibirsk, Russia.

I often wonder, “When people hear that, what do they think of?” Lately I am afraid that too many negative things, worries, and concerns run through people’s minds. I’ve learned that many people, including me, have heard many negative stories about adoption, and not enough success stories.

This is why I am here to share mine.

Continue reading.

Monday, July 31, 2017

9-Year-Old With Down Syndrome Belts Out Whitney Houston Song in Viral Video

Source: www.yahoo.com

By Maya Chung


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A 9-year-old boy with Down syndrome has gone viral after his heartwarming version of one of Whitney Houston’s hit songs was posted online.

Dane Miller, of Texas, belted out Houston’s “I Have Nothing” while riding in the car with his dad on Monday, but his mother, Danna Miller, said it’s something her son does often.

“He’s been musical since around 2 years old,” Miller told InsideEdition.com. “He’s been playing the drums. He sings. He loves music. He puts his whole heart into everything he does.”

See video.