Adoption / Foster Care: What's Hot Now: History of Adoption Month

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History of Adoption Month Nov 4th 2011, 10:01 In 1976, the governor of Massachusetts, Michael Dukakis, announced an Adoption Week for his state. Later that same year President Gerald Ford proclaimed that Adoption Week would be celebrated nationally. According to Child Welfare Information Gateway, President Reagan proclaimed the first National Adoption Week in 1984. As more and more states started to participate in Adoption Week it became clear that more time was needed for holding events and in 1995, President Clinton, proclaimed November as National Adoption Month. The celebration usually includes National Adoption Day with courthouses throughout the nation participating and hundreds of adoptions being finalized simultaneously. National Adoption Month is a time to celebrate family and to bring about awareness that there are hundreds of thousands of children in foster homes awaiting adoption. States, communities, and agencies hold events during the month to bring the need for families into public view. For information on what you can do to help the children who are waiting for a family contact your local state agency. For information on celebrating see Celebrating National Adoption Month with day by day activities for ideas.

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Adoption / Foster Care: What's Hot Now: All About Adoption Month

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All About Adoption Month Nov 3rd 2011, 10:00 The 2011 Adoption Month Theme "Build Capacity to Make Lasting Change." Each year, the focus of adoption month changes to target different areas of need, such as older child adoption, or simply awareness of the huge need for more adoptive homes. This year's Adoption Month targets adoption professionals by focusing on ways to recruit and retain parents for the 107,000 children and youth in foster care waiting for adoptive families. This theme continues to build on public service announcements (PSA) by the Ad Council, Children's Bureau, and AdoptUsKids. This year the campaign is targeted toward the recruitment of adoptive families for preteens or what I'd call school-aged children (8-12 year olds). History of National Adoption Month The basic story behind National Adoption Month started off as a week long celebration in Massachusetts in 1976. Way before it blossomed into the current month long celebration. Presidential Proclamation Each year, the President of the United States makes a proclamation to announce that November is National Adoption Month. (This is updated as soon as the proclamation is made.) Presidential Proclamation for 2010. National Adoption Day Along with the month long celebration is the very special Adoption Day. November 19, 2011, will mark the 12th National Adoption Day. It's a special day because thousands of adoptions are finalized in court rooms all across the United States. The celebration grows larger each year as more and more states and courtrooms become involved. Celebrating National Adoption Month with Day by Day Activities Many communities sponsor Adoption Month events. If events are not offered in your area or you want to do more with your family or neighborhood, see Celebrating National Adoption Month with Day by Day Activities. Want to learn more and have the celebration delivered to your inbox as a e-course, see the Index of Lessons for Celebrating Adoption Month. The lessons and activities are broken down week by week throughout the month of November. If you would like to advocate more for kids in foster care needing adoptive homes, use these beautiful posters advertising the need for more adoptive parents. Utilize the posters created for the 2011 National Adoption Month theme in English or in Spanish. Email Course Like being up-to-date? Receive the calendar of activities for each week along with articles and other information on adoption and adoptive parenting. If you miss a week or want to review a lesson, check out the Index of Lessons for Celebrating Adoption Month.

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Adoption / Foster Care: What's Hot Now: Adoption Poems

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Adoption Poems Nov 3rd 2011, 10:00 Birth Mother Poems | Foster Care Adoption Poems | Adoptee Poems | Adoption Reunion Poems | Adoptive Parent Poems | Adoption Poems for Little Ones Adoption poems sent in by readers of About Adoption & Foster Care. Some have been written by adoptive parents, adoptees or by birth family. If you have an adoption poem that you would like to share for possible publication, please submit it to About Adoption & Foster Care for review. Many have found healing through the writing of adoption poetry. Note: Learn more about all sides of the adoption triad, with my weekly newsletter. Adoption Poems Written While Waiting for a Referral Daydreaming The Rising Moon A Moonbeam An Orphan's Prayer Waiting for the Call Adoption Poems about a Birth Mother's Love A Mother's Love Until Forever She Loves Me I Dream of You Before the Dawn To Her Birthmother Two Women Adoption Poems Written While Waiting for Finalization Oh Little One Instantly Can You Hear a Mother's Cry? Adoption Poems about Foster Care Adoption Adoption Poems Written by Birthmothers On the Wings of a Prayer Forever Is a Lie The Promise Written by a Teenage Birth Mother Adoption Poems Written by Birthfathers Adoption Poems by Adoptees Finding Father, Missing Mother Two Families Gone Another Year Gone By What I Am That Day The Reunion Time Travel Not My Own Adoption Poems About Reunion Sealed Records Still Silent The Reunion Forever Is a Lie Time Travel Not My Own Adoption Poems by Adoptive Parents Angels Working Overtime Two Women When Angels Intervene Waiting for the Call Adoption Poems for Little Ones Angels Working Overtime Two Families When Angels Intervene

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Adoption / Foster Care: What's Hot Now: National Adoption Month

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National Adoption Month Nov 3rd 2011, 10:00 Get more information about adoptive parenting and celebrating Adoption Month, check out the Index of Lessons for Celebrating Adoption Month. It includes the fun activities below and more. Tuesday, November 1 -Begin Adoption Month by celebrating your family's story and sharing it online! Don't forget to also write it down or print it out and add it to your lifebook/scrapbook. Wednesday, November 2 -Light a candle as a family for children in foster care who are still waiting for adoptive families. Set the candle outside in a safe place. Ask your neighbors to join you by lighting a candle as well. Thursday, November 3 -Have secret pals all month long! Place each family member's name in a hat and have each person draw one. Secretly perform several acts of service for this person or leave them small treats or gifts. Draw a new name each week. Friday, November 4 - Contact your local paper and/or news media about National Adoption Month. Encourage them to run a positive story about adoption - consider sharing your own story. Saturday, November 5 - Write out a family mission statement. Ask each member to write down ideas that they feel are important for a great family to have like respect, sharing, and/or honesty. Include goals and dreams. Sunday, November 6 - Look for events in your area celebrating National Adoption Month and the focus of foster care adoption. Monday, November 7 - Read adoption themed poems as a family. Consider writing your own to place in a lifebook and/or to send in to adoption@about.com for possible publication on About Adoption. Tuesday, November 8 -Work on your life books together. Get out those piles of pictures and saved school papers and add them in. Make a goal for each family member to complete 2 pages. Wednesday, November 9 -Write a thank you note to a foster care agency and thank them for the work they do to help children. If your child was in foster care consider writing to the social worker or judge from his/her case. Thursday, November 10 -Contact a children's organization or foster care agency and ask how you can help. For ideas see Ways to Help Children in Foster Care. Friday, November 11 - Choose a country and discuss as a family how you may be able to help a child in that country who waits in an orphanage. Try researching on the Internet ways to donate care boxes or money. Check references and beware of scams. Saturday, November 12 -Create your family tree. Complete one about your child's birth family (if information is known) as well as your adoptive family. Sunday, November 13 - Create a fun craft as a family. Great gifts for birth and/or adoptive family. Can be easily saved for future reunions with birth family too. Monday, November 14 -Do something to keep the children in foster care awaiting permanent homes in your thoughts this month. How about cutting out 107 paper dolls (1 for each 1000 in foster care who need adoptive homes) and display in your windows? How about 107 ribbons tied to the limbs of your trees. Tuesday, November 15 - If you have one, ask your place of worship to offer a special prayer next Sunday for children in foster care waiting for adoption. Wednesday, November 16 - Subscribe to an adoption themed magazine or one dealing with a specific culture. Thursday, November 17 -If your child was adopted internationally display the map of his/her homeland in a prominent place in your home. Make a special dinner that is common in your child's country. For more ideas read Focus on Culture. Friday, November 18 - Call your local adoption agency and ask if there is a family who needs mentoring as they wait for a child to be placed in their home. Saturday, November 19 - National Adoption Day! Sunday, November 20 - Join an adoptive parent support group in your area. If there isn't any, consider starting your own. Monday, November 21 -Rent a movie with an adoption theme and watch it as a family. Pop some popcorn and/or make root beer floats. Tuesday, November 22 -Ask your child to write a letter to his birth parents. Have your child think of questions, tell about himself, and about your home. Include hand drawn pictures and photos. If unable to send, keep for a possible future reunion. His birth parents will cherish this gift. Wednesday, November 23 - Donate books about adoption to your local or school library. Thursday, November 24 -Thanksgiving. Enjoy with family and friends. Go around the table and take turns sharing something that you are thankful for. Friday, November 25 -Decide as a family to join a toy drive or sponsor a waiting child for Christmas. Join the holiday rush to shop and buy some items for the toy drive or sponsored child. Saturday, November 26 - Have fun with a book about adoption as a family and enjoy the craft and recipe that goes along with the story. Sunday, November 27 - Search for music with an adoption theme on the Internet. Monday, November 28 -As a family create fliers detailing the need for adoptive homes and ask to leave them in places of business or use one of these posters. Don't forget contact numbers to your local foster care/adoption agencies. Tuesday, November 29 -Take a family photo today. Have a copy framed for each member of the family to be placed in his/her room. Wednesday, November 30 - Donate book bags and/or suitcases to a local foster care agency so kids don't have to use trash bags when moving home to home.

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Adoption / Foster Care: What's Hot Now: Russian Murder Cases

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Russian Murder Cases Nov 2nd 2011, 10:02 Since 1996, when the U.S. began adopting from Russia, 16 Russian children have died at the hand of their U.S. adoptive parents. Here are some quick facts on these chilling cases. February 9, 1996 - David Polreis, Jr: age 2, of Greeley, Colorado was beaten to death. Over 90% of David's body was covered in cuts, which his adoptive mother, Renee Polreis, claimed was due to the boys severe RAD. Renee stated that David would hit himself with a wooden spoon. Husband, David Polreis, Sr. was out of town at time of attack and was not implicated. Rene Polreis was convicted of child abuse resulting in death and sentenced to 18 years in prison. David was adopted 6 months before his death. November 25, 1998 - Logan Higginbotham: age 3, of Shelburne, Vermont died of massive head injuries. Adoptive mother Laura Higginbotham, stated that Logan fell and hit her head on the floor of an upstairs bedroom. It took 3 years for the medical examiner to determine whether the case was accidental or homicide. In 2004, Laura Higginbotham pled no contest to a charge of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 1 year in prison. Logan was in US 7 months before her death. October 31, 2000 - Viktor Matthey: age 6, of Hunterdon County, New Jersey died of cardiac arrest due to hyperthermia after adoptive parents Robert and Brenda Matthey locked him overnight in a damp unheated pump room. Viktor was also severely beaten by his adoptive father. Both parents are sentenced to 10 years for confining Viktor to a pump room, 10 years for excessive corporal punishment and 7 years for failing to provide medical care. The sentences run concurrently. Viktor was in the US 10 months before his death. November 30, 2001 - Luke Evans: age 1.5 of Lowell, Indiana died of massive head injuries, shaken baby syndrome, and poor nutrition. Adoptive mother, Natalie Fabian Evans, stated that she couldn't wake Luke one morning and so placed him in a tub of water to "stimulate him" where she says he may have bumped his head on the tub. The authorities took a year to investigate the case. Evans is scheduled to stand trial for murder in October 2005. Luke was in the US 6 months before his death. December 14, 2001 - Jacob Lindorff: age 5, of Gloucester Twp, New Jersey died of blunt force trauma to head. Also suffered from 2nd degree burns on feet, hemorrhaging in 1 eye; bruises, and seizures. Adoptive mother Heather Lindorff, was found guilty of 2nd degree endangering, aggravated assault and sentenced to 6 years. Adoptive father, James, sentenced to 4 years probation and 400 hours of community service for child abuse. Adoptive mother claimed that the injuries were accidents. Jacob was in the US 6 weeks before his death. August 15, 2002 - Zachary Higier: age 2, of Braintree, Massachusetts, died of severe head trauma. Adoptive mother Natalia Higier, stated that he had fallen out of his crib or hit his head on the floor. She later admitted to tossing him into the air and he hit his head on the coffee table. Zachary sustained a bilateral skull fracture, strokes, brain swelling, and detached retinas. Natalia pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in jail with 18 months balance of sentence suspended for 4 years. October 23, 2002 - Maria Bennett: age 2, of Lancaster, Ohio, died from shaken baby syndrome. Adoptive mother Susan Jane Bennett, said that she had tripped while carrying Maria and had dropped her. Medical evidence proved otherwise. Susan Bennett pled no contest to 1 count of reckless homicide and was sentenced to 3 years in prison. Maria was adopted 9 months before her death. August 11, 2003 - Jessica Albina Hagmann: age 2, died from smothering. Adoptive mother, Patrice Hagmann claimed that she accidentally killed Jessica while trying to stop her from having a tantrum. Patrice was sentenced to probation and to 2 suspended 5 year terms. October 16, 2003 - Liam Thompson: age 3, of Columbus, Ohio, died from scalding and neglect. His adoptive father, Gary, placed him in a tub of 140 degree water. He received 2nd and 3rd degree burns. His LPN adoptive mother, Amy, neglected treatment for 2 days, then treated him with Tylenol and Vaseline. She took Liam to the hospital only after he went into respiratory failure. Amy was sentence to 15 years for child endangering and involuntary manslaughter. Gary received 15-life for murder. Liam was adopted 5 months prior. Russian Child Murder Cases Continued on Page 2. SOURCES: "Forever Family Forever Dead" ~ Daily Bastardette blog dated August 3, 2005 Adoptive father acquitted of 10-year manslaughter sentence Russia demands reconsideration of adoptive father's reprieve Russia To Investigate Death Of Child Adopted By U.S. Couple Russian officials call for suspension of adoptions to U.S. parents after death of Dillsburg-area boy Carroll Twp. couple charged in child's death

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Adoption / Foster Care: From File Reading Tips to Family Meetings - New Articles to Help You on Your Foster or Adoption Journey

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From File Reading Tips to Family Meetings - New Articles to Help You on Your Foster or Adoption Journey Oct 31st 2011, 16:01 I continue to add new articles based on suggestions from readers. If there is information you feel is lacking here, please don't hesitate to ask me! I am always looking for new ideas to research and write about. This week I've added two new articles on file reading. Once matched to a child, prospective adoptive parents can read the child's file to learn more about the needs and history of the child. I also have information on what to look for specifically within the files as they can be overwhelming. I've also added a new article today about the importance of holding a family meeting with new foster or adopted children within the first week of them residing in your home. What a great way to get to know the children and help establish boundaries, rules, and expectations. Suggested Reading/New Articles and Features: Reading the Child's File Is Part of the Adoption Decision Information Prospective Adoptive Parents Should Focus on When File Reading Why You Should Hold a Family Meeting after the First Week of a New Placement

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Adoption / Foster Care: From File Reading Tips to Family Meetings - New Articles to Help You on Your Foster or Adoption Journey

Adoption / Foster Care Get the latest headlines from the Adoption / Foster Care GuideSite. // via fulltextrssfeed.com

From File Reading Tips to Family Meetings - New Articles to Help You on Your Foster or Adoption Journey Oct 31st 2011, 16:01 I continue to add new articles based on suggestions from readers. If there is information you feel is lacking here, please don't hesitate to ask me! I am always looking for new ideas to research and write about. This week I've added two new articles on file reading. Once matched to a child, prospective adoptive parents can read the child's file to learn more about the needs and history of the child. I also have information on what to look for specifically within the files as they can be overwhelming. I've also added a new article today about the importance of holding a family meeting with new foster or adopted children within the first week of them residing in your home. What a great way to get to know the children and help establish boundaries, rules, and expectations. Suggested Reading/New Articles and Features: Reading the Child's File Is Part of the Adoption Decision Information Prospective Adoptive Parents Should Focus on When File Reading Why You Should Hold a Family Meeting after the First Week of a New Placement

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