“Bottom line is, even if you see them coming, you're not ready for the big moments. No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does.
So, what are we, helpless? Puppets? Nah. The big moments are gonna come, you can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that counts. That's
when you find out who you are." - Joss Whedon

Saturday, September 10, 2011

More Finding Ideas

Are you looking for a child over the age of six or a sibling group of two or more children? Can you parent a child with difficult behaviors or have experience with medical challenges? Opening up your home to a child in need is certainly a very special gift. Our Matching Assistance Program could be for you!

Every day children’s case workers from all over the United States search for suitable homes for hundreds of foster kids nationwide. In this search, they are looking at parenting qualifications such as: Parent Training and Education, Ability to accommodate special needs, and family background.
Having your profile, narrative, home study, and possibly a video ready for a searching case worker greatly increases the chance that you will be selected as a potential family for a waiting child.
You don't need extraordinary equipment to provide these to us. Pertinent, honest, and entertaining family photos can be taken with an ordinary digital camera and uploaded via the internet to the Family Website. The profile consists of information about how to reach you, your situation, and your parenting experiences.
ChildrenMatching Assistance is a password protected site with additional child listings, helping support qualified, current home studied families looking for sibling groups or single children over the age of six.

Many families have a difficult time finding children to submit on as well as being considered and notified by the caseworkers. We're here to help families through this sometimes long and difficult part of the adoption process.
We are NOT taking place of your adoption worker. We work alongside you as part of a team to help place a child or children in your home.
We can, depending on the option you choose, follow up on children you inquire or submit your homestudy on, search nationwide on your behalf and support you throughout your adoption journey. We are here for YOU!
We pride ourselves on having a very current and reliable web listing of over 800 children waiting for their adoptive families. When you submit your homestudy through Matching Assistance, caseworkers get to know who you are with the information you provide in your family biography, written by you, including your family photos and any additional family documents or video included each time you request we submit your homestudy for a child. 
SiblingsThe Children
Most waiting children are OVER the age of 6, male, are school aged, part of a racial, ethnic, or cultural minority. Part of a sibling group needing to be placed together, and/or have physical, mental, developmentalor emotional disabilities. All are waiting for the love and security that only a permanent family can offer.
The average age of a child in foster care is 9, but children range from infants to teenagers. Virtually every race, ethnic group, and socioeconomic category is represented.
Our Goal
Our goal is to work alongside families providing them with one on one communication, assurance and assistance in learning how to best represent themselves in their family profile and home study, as well as helping them to do child searches based on what will best fit within their family.
Matching Assistance The Matching Assistance Option supports your family, by assigning a Family Adoption Specialist during your journey to adoption as well as someone who reviews your family materials and gives your perspective and suggestions for your family web profile. We will update and follow up on the children you submit on. CLICK HERE
Photolisting This option gives families the ability to show caseworkers their personality and character through pictures and a bio page.  You are NOT assigned a family adoption specialist and your worker is responsible for follow up on any inquiries and submissions on children. CLICK HERE
Please contact the Matching Assistance Director at jennyhancock@afamilyforeverychild.org. I look forward to talking with you.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Mark Your Calendars!!!

November is National Adoption Awareness Month and we are celebrating with a Chapter Wide conference.

"What To Expect When Expecting Through Adoption" will be held all day, 9am-6pm, Saturday November 19th at the Renton Stake Center.  Classes will include:

What to expect with a special needs adoption - A class on special needs children by people who have adopted kids with special needs.

What to expect with a trans-racial adoption - A class on raising children in a trans-racial family by people who have adopted kids of all different races.

What to expect from networking - A class on ways to network your adoption by a fellow FSA member know for her networking skills.

What to expect when marking the box - A class on information about all hte different health concerns you must think about when filling out your acceptance paperwork by a Pediatrician.

What to expect when talking to your kids about adoption - A class on open communication with your children about their adoption by our Regional FSA Chairs.

What to expect from FSA - A class on what FSA is and how it is here to help by the Seattle Chapter President.

There will also be a Full Story Panel.  Adoptive Couples, their Birth Parents and adopted children will be telling their story and answering your questions.

We are working on getting free childcare available and lunch will be provided.  We need a head count, so if you are interested in attending, please e-mail us at families.supporting.adoption@gmail.com

This event is FREE so register and we will see you there!

Labor Day Camping

We had a HUGE success at our 2nd Annual Labor Day Camp Out and Pancake Breakfast.  Twenty Eight people were in attendance over the holiday weekend.  Thanks to all those that came out, it was so good to talk about adoption and how it has blessed each of our lives as well as learn a little about how Foster-to-Adopt works.

The cooks!  Thanks Cassie and Dan!

Chris and JoNette

Brett and Carol's little one, Brayden.


Carol and Brett G. and son, Brayden.


Heidi and Ryan C. with their son, Ezra, and foster children, Miles and Zala.

Jeff and Gina S. and son, J.D. .

Some of the gange enjoying the pancake breakfast.

Cassie W., Julianna M., Jacob M., Dan M., Katie M., Sarah M., and Chris B. enjoying some games.

Dan and Julianna M. with daughter, Mikayla.

The M's playing some games.

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