Monday, March 4, 2013
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Not Able to Be a Foster Parent, but Looking for a Way to Support Foster Children and Your Community?
Consider Helping AFFEC with LifeBooks, Welcome Books & Scrapbooking
Now National!
LifeBooks are created for foster children to tell their story much like a scrapbook.
Welcome Books are created by adoptive parents as a way to introduce a child to his or her new family.
Our LifeBook Team puts together pre-made scrapbook pages for caseworkers, foster parents and adoptive parents to use in their scrapbook creations.
We have heard it is the best gift in the world for a foster child or adoptee.
We are looking for more members to join our Life Book Team; are you interested?
We need you, your creativity (we can lend you some if you think you don't have any), and your time in order to create these gifts for local foster children.
Adoption Life Books resemble scrapbooks and, like scrapbooks, there are a lot of ways to be involved.
Request help with a LifeBook or LifeBook supplies
Click here to help make Life Books
Click here to visit the AFFEC website
Curious? Interested? If so, please contact any of the following:
Sandra Estep
LifeBook Coordinator
Gail Van Gundy
LifeBook Coordinator
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Share Your Story and Learn More about iChooseAdoption
Dear Friend of Adoption,
We invite you to share your adoption story with us so that we can raise awareness about the positive option of adoption through our all-new iChooseAdoption campaign. Your video and/or written testimonial may appear on NCFA’s brand new iChooseAdoption.org website, launching later this month!
You might be a birthparent, adopted person, or a parent by adoption. We want to hear from all members of the adoption triad so that young women facing unintended pregnancy can gain multiple perspectives from real people about the positive option of adoption.
You can submit a written testimonial by clicking here, or e-mail us a video testimonial to Lauren Koch at: lkoch@adoptioncouncil.org with the subject line “Adoption Video Testimonial.” Include one or two photos of yourself/your family for inclusion in your video. You can even submit a written testimonialAND a video testimonial (please be sure to review the video guidelines below).
Video Guidelines
1. Please take a moment to watch the following video testimonials, previously submitted to NCFA:
- Birthmother: Click here to watch “All You Need is Love”
- Adopted Person: Click here to watch “Thankful to my Birthmother”
- Adoptive Parent: Click here to watch “My Daughter’s Adoption Story”
2. Files should be in .mov (preferred) or .wmv format
3. Video length should not exceed 90 seconds
4. Do not add music and/or audio files or tracks to your video
Check for good lighting, sound quality and minimize background noise
5. Use positive, affirming words about adoption. Profanity, inflammatory, derogatory, and/or judgmental language will not be tolerated.
Questions?
Feel free to call or email Lauren Koch if you have any questions at (703) 299-6633 or lkoch@adoptioncouncil.org.
3. Video length should not exceed 90 seconds
4. Do not add music and/or audio files or tracks to your video
Check for good lighting, sound quality and minimize background noise
5. Use positive, affirming words about adoption. Profanity, inflammatory, derogatory, and/or judgmental language will not be tolerated.
Questions?
Feel free to call or email Lauren Koch if you have any questions at (703) 299-6633 or lkoch@adoptioncouncil.org.
Important
By submitting your video testimonial, you give NCFA permission to use, reproduce, and publish your video to promote the cause of adoption. NCFA will title your story, add background music, and include a closing frame directing viewers to iChooseAdoption.org.
Sneak peek! Here's the all-new iChooseAdoption.org
Share Your Story webpage
Share Your Story webpage
To learn more about NCFA’s all-new iChooseAdoption campaign, click here.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Tax Credit Info - Thanks Bethany Christian Services for sharing this great news!
You did it! You helped to extend the Adoption Tax Credit!Congress included an extension of the Adoption Tax Credit in the "fiscal cliff" budget negotiations! Many details are still unknown, but we know of three significant changes:
- The Adoption Tax Credit is extended permanently.
- The Credit is set at $12,000 rather than the $6,000 that it was set to revert to for adoption of domestic children with special placement needs.
- As far as we know, the credit will apply to all adoptions, as it did previously.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
A Free Course on the Adoption Tax Credit from Adoption Learning Partners (ALP)
Updated Adoption Tax Credit Course:
January, 2013 for the 2012 tax
year!
This FREE course takes into account changes instituted by the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 which was signed January 2, 2013.
This course will help you:
This FREE course takes into account changes instituted by the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 which was signed January 2, 2013.
This course will help you:
- Determine your eligibility for the adoption tax credit
- See how the adoption tax credit applies to different types of adoption and varying financial situations
- Prepare for year-end planning to better work with a tax professional
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Ways You Can Be Involved with AFFEC
It Takes a Village and AFFEC Needs You!
We want and need your help to spread the word! Here are ways you can help us recruit for kids:
- Email us any supports, training's, activities, blogs, anything that could help. Contact: christy@afamilyforeverychild.
- Become a volunteer
- Donate, attend, or become a sponsor at our event
- Host a Heart Gallery: joanne@
- Become a mentor: christina.para@
Questions? Ideas? christy@afamilyforeverychild.
To Visit AFFEC's (A Family for Every Child) Website, click here!
An update on the Adoption Tax Credit from AFFEC
Adoption Tax Credits
What is the adoption tax credit?
The
adoption tax credit, which can be claimed for eligible adoption-related
expenses, has helped thousands of American families offset the high
cost of adoption since the credit was established in 1997. The credit
applies to all types of adoption (except stepparent adoption), including
international, domestic private, and public foster care. Since 2003,
families who adopted children with special needs could claim the maximum
credit regardless of their qualified adoption expenses. The credit has
made adoption a more viable option for many parents who might not
otherwise have been able to afford adoption, allowing them to provide
children with loving, permanent families.
What is the current status of the adoption tax credit?
The
legislation to avoid the fiscal cliff (the American Taxpayer Relief Act
of 2012, signed into law on January 2, 2013) included a provision that
made the adoption tax credit permanent. It did not make the adoption
credit refundable, so it will only benefit those adoptive families who
have federal income tax liability.
The
credit is still "flat" for special needs adoptions, meaning families
who adopt a child with special needs (see special needs question below)
do not need to document qualified adoption expenses.
What does it mean that the adoption tax credit is permanent?
A
permanent tax credit is one that was extended without a specific
expiration or sunset date. Congress can still choose to make changes to
the credit in future legislation.
What is the maximum amount of the credit for 2013? At what income level does the credit begin to phase out?
For
2013, the maximum adoption credit and exclusion $12,970 per child. The
credit will begin to phase out for families with modified adjusted gross
incomes above $194,580 and the credit will go away completely for those
with incomes around $234,580.
Since
the credit is per child, the maximum you claim depends on the number of
children you adopt. If you adopt two children in 2013, your maximum is
$12,970 x 2 or $25,940. If you adopt four children, the maximum is
$12,970 x 4 or $51,880. For purposes of the tax credit, there is no
limitation on the number of children you can adopt.
Can I receive the credit if I adopted a child from another country?
Yes,
once the adoption is legally finalized, either in the child's home
country or in the U.S., you can claim your qualified adoption expenses,
up to the maximum.
Is
the tax credit for all adoptions or just special needs? Can I receive
the credit if I adopted a healthy child? What kinds of adoptions benefit
from the tax credit?
The
adoption credit is for all adoptions other than stepparent adoptions
(international, domestic private, and public foster care). See below for
more information about how special needs adoptions are different.
What are qualified adoption expenses?
The
IRS writes: "Qualified adoption expenses are reasonable and necessary
expenses directly related to, and for the principal purpose of, the
legal adoption of an eligible child.
Qualified adoption expenses include:
- Adoption fees,
- Attorney fees,
- Court costs,
- Travel expenses (including meals and lodging) while away from home, and
- Re-adoption expenses relating to the adoption of a foreign child.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Many Changes are Coming Soon
Hi Friends of Adoption,
I thought I should warn you that many changes are coming soon to LDSFS and Families Supporting Adoption. Perhaps you have already noticed many of the blogs related to FSA are disappearing one by one. The Oregon Chapter has deleted their blog and it is no longer possible to read the National FSA Blog. When one click's on the formal FSA National Blog link, the following message appears:
I thought I should warn you that many changes are coming soon to LDSFS and Families Supporting Adoption. Perhaps you have already noticed many of the blogs related to FSA are disappearing one by one. The Oregon Chapter has deleted their blog and it is no longer possible to read the National FSA Blog. When one click's on the formal FSA National Blog link, the following message appears:
This blog is open to invited readers only
http://
It doesn't look like you have been invited to read this blog. If you think this is a mistake, you might want to contact the blog author and request an invitation.
This blog will change soon based on the fact that "a decision has been made at the general Church level that individuals and organizations that are linked to the Church...should not host blogs...this is a result of concern over public relations issues related to the Church and it's mission being inaccurately portrayed or perceived through these blogs...local FSA blogs may be most affected by this change in our area."
I am gathering additional information and beginning this process. I support and value adoption and feel that many people have contributed a lot of time and resources over the years to provide information for this blog and many other well written blogs formarly associated with Families Supporting Adoption. To me it is tragic to have all of this information lost. I hope we will be able to find a way to preserve a portion of this information and the connections we have made as participants in FSA. More information will be coming your way as I learn more. Please note that I am writing this as an individual and my words are in no way associated with any church or agency but are mine alone unless in quotations.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Monday, February 13th is Adoption Tax Credit Awareness Day
Adoption Tax Credit Awareness Day
All parts of the adoption community including state agencies, child welfare programs, private child placing agencies, adoptive families, etc. are asked to take part in the first grassroots Adoption Tax Credit Awareness Day. Unfortunately, many adoptive families are still not aware that this tax credit exists. It is our goal to ensure all adoptive families who are eligible to receive this benefit are informed about how to claim the credit. Please help distribute information to adoptive families about the availability of this refundable tax credit. This tax credit is a benefit available to adoptive families including those families who adopted a child with special needs through a state agency. The credit is a potential resource to families who adopted children back as far as 2005 - especially if they were not able to take full advantage of the tax credit in those years, as the unused balance may still be refundable to families who had unused credit in 2010.
All families who completed adoptions in 2011 should be made aware of this refundable tax credit, which this year is set for $13,360.00 per child. Because many of the families that completed adoptions were relatives, they may not have been made aware of this tax credit.
Families that adopted children with special needs do not have to have qualified adoption expenses in order to claim the credit. If adoptive families have questions about this tax credit, they should contact their tax preparer.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Meet Brian and Chriss Butt - Who Are New to Our Area and Super Jazzed about Adoption!
Allow me (Tawnia) to introduce a new couple to our FSA
group. Brian and Chriss Butt recently moved to Washington from Utah
with their son they adopted through Premier Adoption Agency. Here
is what Chriss had to say about their adoption experience:
Some of the things that we really liked about
Premier were that they only work with a max of 40 adoptive couples at a
time. When I called them they said they have been nowhere near
this number in several years. We liked that they had full-time
employees; we were always able to work with the same person. Most of all
we liked that they had a sliding scale based off of income and not the
race of the child as all the other agencies we had
looked into did.
When you are presented with a situation they give
you the medical and social history information and you know up front
what, if any additional costs may be. This agency doesn’t
move the expectant mothers to different States, so you would be dealing
with ICPC, but the majority of expectant mothers medical expenses are
covered by Medicare.
We had our application in with them for two weeks
when we were contacted about a situation, and two months before we were
matched! We have a great semi-open adoption with our son’s
birth parents and got to be there for the birth of our son in August.
So far in 2012, they have had 28 placements, in the last two years we
personally know of seven families that have been placed with them.
They accept LDS FS homestudies and you can be with both agencies at the same time.
LDS FS doesn’t release portions of the homestudy so you do have to get
new originals for the background checks, reference letters, and medical
forms.
If you have any questions about Premier you can check them out online at
http://www.premieradoption.
Or feel free to contact us at:
Brianandchrissadopting@gmail.We look forward to getting to know more of you and supporting adoption.
Brian and Chriss
Princess for A Day Sponsered by A Family for Every Child
This year will be A Family For Every Child's 6th Annual Princess for a Day Event. Our annual gift to Foster Girls throughout Oregon. These well deserving girls ages 2-18 receive a special day full of the royal treatment; getting their hair and makeup done, picking out their ball gown, and finally having a tea party with prince charming.
In 2012 we served over 325 Princesses, because of the generosity of our community and families all over the country. We hope to serve more and more princesses each year and reach out to other communities to help them create their own Princess for a Day Event.
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Tuesday, January 1, 2013
A Letter from Congressman Smith regarding The Making Adoption Affordable Act
Did you write your Congressman regarding The Making Adoption Affordable Act. H.R. 4373?? Sarah did and below is what Adam Smith had to say in response to her contact.
December
21,
2012
Mrs.
Sarah
Rawls
Steilacoom,
Washington
98388
Dear Sarah,
Thank
you
for
contacting
me
regarding
H.R.
4373,
the
Making
Adoption
Affordable
Act.
I
appreciate
hearing
your
thoughts
on
this
important
issue
and
I
value
this
opportunity
to
respond.
I
support
adoption
and
making
it
easier
for
families
to
bring
children
into
a
safe
and
nurturing
environment.
I
have
been
a
long
supporter
of
legislation
that
supports
families
that
seek
to
adopt
and
creates
a
smooth
transition
and
a
promising
future
for
adopted
children.
As
you
may
know,
the
federal
government
provides
assistance
for
the
adoption
of
children
through
federal
grants
to
states
and
through
tax
expenditures
for
families.
Although
federal
assistance
programs
for
adoption
focus
primarily
on
children
adopted
out
of
Foster
Care,
federal
adoption
tax
provisions
are
available
for
all
adoptions
(except
for
adoptions
of
stepchildren).
Congress
created
federal
tax
assistance
for
adoption
by
enacting
the
Small
Business
and
Job
Protection
Act
of
1996.
The
Act
added
tax
incentives
for
adoption
to
the
existing
federal
adoption
assistance
grant
programs
by
creating
a
tax
credit
and
an
income
tax
exclusion
of
up
to
$5,000
per
adoption
and
$6,000
per
adoption
of
a
special
needs
child.
The
Economic
Growth
and
Tax
Relief
Reconciliation
Act
(EGTRRA)
of
2001
provided
an
increase
in
qualified
expenses
for
the
credit
and
the
income
tax
exclusion
to
$10,000
(indexed
for
inflation),
but
with
a
sunset
period.
Beginning
in
2011,
the
prior
law
limits
of
$5,000
and
$6,000
became
effective
again
unless
extended
in
new
legislation.
For
tax
years
2010
and
2011,
The
Patient
Protection
and
Affordable
Care
Act
(PPACA)
made
the
adoption
tax
credit
refundable.
The
Affordable
Care
Act
also
increased
the
qualified
expenses
for
the
adoption
tax
credit
and
the
income
tax
exclusion
for
employer
provided
adoption
assistance
to
$13,170
for
tax
year
2010,
with
this
amount
indexed
for
inflation
in
2011.
The
Tax
Relief,
Unemployment
Insurance
Reauthorization,
and
Job
Creation
Act
of
2010
extended
the
EGTRRA
provisions
for
adoption
to
tax
year
2012.
Unless
EGTRRA
is
extended,
prior
tax
exclusion
limits
of
$5,000
and
$6,000
will
take
effect
beginning
in
tax
year
2013.
The
tax
credit
and
the
income
tax
exclusion
significantly
limit
who
may
benefit
from
the
tax
provisions.
Both
provisions
are
subject
to
a
phase-out
rule,
which
creates
an
income
cap,
and
puts
in
place
a
minimum
income
level
on
the
use
of
the
tax
credit.
These
provisions
limit
the
number
of
taxpayers
who
benefit
from
the
credit.
As
a
result,
in
tax
year
2008,
very
few
families
with
an
adjusted
gross
income
of
less
than
$30,000,
or
with
an
adjusted
gross
income
of
$200,000
or
more,
claimed
the
credit.
In
tax
year
2008,
approximately
86,600
tax
returns,
or
06%
of
all
tax
returns,
included
a
claim
for
the
adoption
tax
credit,
with
a
total
credit
value
claimed
of
$353.5
million.
Thank
you
for
calling
my
attention
to
H.R.
4373,
The
Making
Adoption
Affordable
Act.
H.R.
4373
was
introduced
by
Representative
Bruce
Braley
on
April
7,
2012.
This
legislation
seeks
to
support
families
that
wish
to
adopt
by
providing
tax
credit
for
adoption
expenses
increasing
exclusion
from
gross
income
for
amounts
paid
by
an
employer
for
adoption
expenses
that
were
enacted
by
the
Patient
Protection
and
Affordable
Care
Act.
H.R.
4373
is
currently
pending
with
the
House
Committee
on
Ways
and
Means.
I
look
forward
to
reviewing
this
legislation.
Should
this
or
any
other
bill
concerning
adoption
come
to
the
House
floor
for
consideration,
please
be
assured
I
will
keep
your
support
in
mind.
Please
feel
free
to
contact
me
at
any
time
should
you
have
further
questions
or
concerns
on
this
or
any
other
issue.
Adam Smith
Member of Congress
If you'd like to receive occasional e-mail updates from my office, please visit my website to sign up - http://adamsmith.house.gov.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
A Search Tool Hosted by Adoption Learning Partners
A Search Tool Custom Built
for Adoptive Parents
 |
| Click Here to Search Now |
Adoption Learning Partners is excited to introduce Adoption Parenting Pathways (APP), a tool allowing adoptive parents to find local and online resources to specifically meet their family's needs.
A family can use APP to search an area of concern or interest and find workshops, therapists, support groups, etc. in their area and online. It's also a great tool for professionals to provide additional resources to families.
We're adding new resources everyday, so make sure to bookmark APP to use whenever you need.
Consider Donating to AFFEC this Christmas Season
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|
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Meet Jeff and Jillian through Their Adoption Story
It has been an eventful past 12 months for the Sorenson family. We have an amazing miracle who is now a member of our family, Jase Samuel Sorenson. I am so grateful for the blessing of adoption in our family, there are no words that can express our gratitude to our Father in Heaven.
We have been adoption applicants for the last three years. We had no idea of the rollercoaster ride we would be on for all those years, but now looking back it is all worth it. Almost exactly a year ago we got the exciting call that a birth mother wanted to meet us. She wasn't totally sure if she wanted to place or parent. The meeting went well and we were anxious to hear from her soon with her decision. She kept in touch through email and texting, apologizing for taking so long in making her decision. Jeff and I both let her know that we cared about her and wanted her to take the time she needed to make the best decision for her. It was a difficult month of not knowing and praying for this birth mother. The day before she delivered she told our case worker that she was 99% sure she was going to place. We were all so excited and we got our home ready for a baby boy. The next few days were agonizing as we waited to hear when placement would be. Long story short, this sweet birth mother decided to parent. This was one of the most difficult situation I had ever encountered. I felt like someone had ripped my heart out and punched me in the gut all at the same time. This was days before Christmas so I tried my best to put on a happy face for our two little miracles at home, Jarred and Jenna. Jeff was a great strength for me to lean on during this time. His simple thoughts of if this baby was meant to come to our home then he would have. I clung to that with all of my might.
Over the next several months I felt an urgency to do something to grow our family. We looked into many other adoption possibilities but when we prayed about it, none of these options felt right for us. I started to pray for peace. There wasn't anything else I could do to "make" an adoption happen.
On a spring Tuesday evening we got a call from our case worker that there was a birth mother with 7-week-old infant that would like to meet us the next day. We were filled with all kinds of emotions, but a bit guarded after our last failed adoption. I tried to figure out what to bring to this sweet, very young birth mother. We ended up getting her some jammies and I baked my favorite cookies for her. We had a nice meeting with this birth mother and she ended the conversation by stating she thought her baby would be happy with us. It was a bit of a shock, did she really say that? We left with a million and one questions for our caseworker, who patiently answered them for us.
After two weeks of ups and downs and getting paperwork in order, and one family reunion in Utah we had placement with our sweet baby boy. I will never forget that hour we spent with our birth mother, her boyfriend's mom, and that sweet baby. I am still amazed by the courageous, mature and selfless decision that our birth mother placed her precious baby with us. Jase's middle name is after his birth mom, we always want him to know how much she loves him.
We recently had our finalization hearing and in another week we will be going to the temple to be sealed as a family for eternity. I am so grateful for all the blessings we have in our life, especially the gift of adoption.
Jeff and Jillian Sorenson
We have been adoption applicants for the last three years. We had no idea of the rollercoaster ride we would be on for all those years, but now looking back it is all worth it. Almost exactly a year ago we got the exciting call that a birth mother wanted to meet us. She wasn't totally sure if she wanted to place or parent. The meeting went well and we were anxious to hear from her soon with her decision. She kept in touch through email and texting, apologizing for taking so long in making her decision. Jeff and I both let her know that we cared about her and wanted her to take the time she needed to make the best decision for her. It was a difficult month of not knowing and praying for this birth mother. The day before she delivered she told our case worker that she was 99% sure she was going to place. We were all so excited and we got our home ready for a baby boy. The next few days were agonizing as we waited to hear when placement would be. Long story short, this sweet birth mother decided to parent. This was one of the most difficult situation I had ever encountered. I felt like someone had ripped my heart out and punched me in the gut all at the same time. This was days before Christmas so I tried my best to put on a happy face for our two little miracles at home, Jarred and Jenna. Jeff was a great strength for me to lean on during this time. His simple thoughts of if this baby was meant to come to our home then he would have. I clung to that with all of my might.
Over the next several months I felt an urgency to do something to grow our family. We looked into many other adoption possibilities but when we prayed about it, none of these options felt right for us. I started to pray for peace. There wasn't anything else I could do to "make" an adoption happen.
On a spring Tuesday evening we got a call from our case worker that there was a birth mother with 7-week-old infant that would like to meet us the next day. We were filled with all kinds of emotions, but a bit guarded after our last failed adoption. I tried to figure out what to bring to this sweet, very young birth mother. We ended up getting her some jammies and I baked my favorite cookies for her. We had a nice meeting with this birth mother and she ended the conversation by stating she thought her baby would be happy with us. It was a bit of a shock, did she really say that? We left with a million and one questions for our caseworker, who patiently answered them for us.
After two weeks of ups and downs and getting paperwork in order, and one family reunion in Utah we had placement with our sweet baby boy. I will never forget that hour we spent with our birth mother, her boyfriend's mom, and that sweet baby. I am still amazed by the courageous, mature and selfless decision that our birth mother placed her precious baby with us. Jase's middle name is after his birth mom, we always want him to know how much she loves him.
We recently had our finalization hearing and in another week we will be going to the temple to be sealed as a family for eternity. I am so grateful for all the blessings we have in our life, especially the gift of adoption.
Jeff and Jillian Sorenson
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Some info from an outside Adoption Agency - AFFEC
Matching Assistance (from A Family for Every Child) Is Now FREE!
By changing our program to a free program, we hope to better fulfill our mission of finding loving, permanent families for waiting foster children.
Our program is designed to assist current approved home studied families looking to adopt waiting foster children. Our goal is to work alongside families, providing them with one-on-one communication, assurance, and support during the submission and waiting process.
We are here to assist families with learning how to best represent themselves in their family biography, and perform national child searches based on information provided in your home study and family biography.
How to sign up:
Signing up for Matching Assistance is easy! Click this link,
Sign up for MAP and get started on your family profile and biography today! Request that your worker send in your home study, and request activation. You can follow the how-to guide to help you through the process. It is located under the Matching Assistance drop-down menu on the home page.
How to Promote Your Family:
Every adoptive family should have a well-written biography. Your family biography is a way for you to introduce your family to a child's caseworker, and make your family stand out. For Matching Assistance families, a caseworker sees your family biography when you submit on a child through our site, but there is also another way to let caseworkers view it without having to submit on a child: making your biography public. When you grant us permission to make your family biography publicly viewable, it gives your family more exposure to caseworkers. By granting us permission to post your family biography on our site, we can do the following:
- Feature your family on our home pagefor one week as our Web Feature Family. It will just be your family biography, front and center on our home page for one week!
- Allow caseworkers to see your biography when they visit our site, without having to login, making your family biography more accessible to them.
- Feature your family biography in a Feature Family Recruitment Email!
To grant us permission to make your family biography public, simply login to your family profile. On your Family Home Page, at the bottom of box #2, click on the link that says "[OPTIONAL] Grant Permission for Display on the Internet". On the next page, click on the check box, and click "Submit".
Here are some other ways that you can promote your family through our Matching Assistance Program:
Feature Family Recruitment Email:
Our Feature Family Recruitment email is the best way to promote your family. This email goes out to thousands of caseworkers across the country, and allows caseworkers to send us child profiles that they think would be a good match specifically for your family. They have a very high success rate! By granting us permission to display your family biography on the internet, this allows us to send your biography out in our Feature Family emails.
We also include a link to our Waiting Families page so caseworkers can browse all the families who are publicly displayed on our site. These emails go out every other week to caseworkers.
Child Matching Events:
Signing up for Child Matching Events is another way to promote your family. During our online webinar events families will have private access to many special children, where you can view photos and/or video and hear from people who are actively involved in these children's lives.
Social workers will be on hand to answer questions and give feedback and information about the type of families that would be the best match for these children. Once the event has concluded families will be given the opportunity to submit their home study on children that they feel would be a good fit for their families.
Family Online Matching Event:
As a Matching Assistance family, you can participate in our Online Matching Event. This event is similar to the child matching events, except families are featured to over 50 caseworkers nationwide! During this event, you family biography will be shown, and you will have the opportunity to discuss your home life and what you can offer a foster child. Caseworkers will have the opportunity to gain information about families that might be a good match for children on their caseload.
The benefits of this include instant exposure to over 50 caseworkers, adoption workers and recruiters nationwide. and they will be able to learn about your family...straight from you! These events are open to all Matching Assistance families, and all you need is a computer with internet access to attend! It's an easy, free way to promote your family directly to a child's caseworker!
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
How Will You Celebrate November's National Adoption Month??
Here are a few ideas on places you can go to celebrate with others!
Attend the FSA Northwest Regional Conference in Portland, Oregon.
Saturday, November 10th.
9:30 am - 5 pm
Rock Creek LDS Chapel
19180 NW West Union Rd.
Portland, OR 97229
- No Registration fee but please RSVP to fsa-or@ldsfamilyservices.org so that we can plan on you for lunch! Click here for more information.
AND/OR
Join DSHS and many foster and adoptive parents on Thursday, November 15th at 4 PM at the Thurston County Juvenile and Family Courthouse (located at 2801 32nd Avenue SW, Tumwater, WA 98512). They will hold thier annual Adoption Day Celebration. Four families will be finalizing their adoptions that day in open court. There will be refreshments and activities for the kiddo’s (Hands On Children’s Museum, Booker T Bear etc) after their finalizations.
This is an amazing public event that showcases foster care adoption with a public hearing. It is a great way for adoptive parents to talk to their kids about adoption. I encourage all of you to stop by and support these local families on this day!!
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