Lifeplusstyle.com | Record Number of Foster Children Adopted in 2011

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Dept. of Child Services? Emphasis on Permanency Drives Increase

INDIANAPOLIS? Citing a focused effort to move foster children into permanent homes and families, the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) today announced a record number of adoptions were finalized in 2011. For the year 1,787 foster children found forever families with a single-month record of 439 adoptions set in December.

?All these wonderful adoptions were the result of countless child welfare professionals all overIndianaworking together,? shared James W. Payne, Director ofDCS. ?Without the dedication and commitment of our own staff as well as family court judges, community-based care partners, and Guardians ad Litem/CASAs, these children would not have ?forever homes? today. Most of all, this is the result of so many families giving a child a home and making them a part of their heart and family. To all that helped to make these adoptions possible, a heartfelt ?thank you.??

Children who stay in child welfare systems for long periods of time, or leave state care without a permanent family, have difficulty adjusting to adulthood. Many end up homeless, incarcerated or with unplanned babies. They deserve better than that soDCSstrives to get foster children into a permanent family within 24 months?mostly by reunification with parents but many times by adoption.

In 2011DCSstepped up efforts to re-unite foster kids with their families or find new families in those situations where the children could not safely return home. Partnering with Casey Family Programs, selected groups ofDCSstaff and community partners made permanency a priority. (The Casey Foundation is a private charitable organization dedicated to helping build better futures for disadvantaged children in theU.S.) The teams targeted hard-to-place children that are older, in sibling groups that want to be adopted together or have special needs. Creative and extraordinary solutions were developed to help reach permanency, which, many times was a finalized adoption.

In addition to the focus on permanency, much of the credit for the increase in adoptions goes to local judges and other partners. Since November is National Adoption Awareness Month, many courts hold November and December Adoption Days to finalize several adoptions on one date.AllenCountyandHenryCountyboth scheduled adoption days for November 18.AllenCountyfinalized 16 adoptions that day and Henry County 11.VanderburghCountyheld an Adoption Day on December 20 and joined 26 foster kids with their forever families?a single day record for the county. Vanderburgh?s total adoptions for December were 40, a one-month record.AllenCountycompleted 97 adoptions for the year, a record for that county. And since November and December are a part of the holiday season, a time traditionally centered on families, those two months usually see an increase in the number of adoptions. Throughout the state, 598 adoptions were finalized during the last two months of 2011.

Another strategyDCSuses to help raise awareness about foster kids needing permanent homes is the Indiana Heart Gallery. This traveling photographic exhibit features up to 40 compelling pictures of foster children, along with brief introductions. The Heart Gallery has been criss-crossing the state visiting over 50 venues a year since 2007. To honorIndiana?s success in foster care adoptions, the National Heart Gallery recently madeIndianaits first stop on a national tour. It ended a two-week run at City Market inIndianapolisFeb. 15.

Photos and short biographies of foster children needing a home are also displayed on the DCSwebsite. A Picture Book is available at http://www.in.gov/dcs/2737.htm.

WhileDCShas dramatically improved its ability to bring permanency to children, there are still approximately 300 Hoosier children currently in foster care in need of a forever home.DCSand its local partners continue to look for opportunities to find permanency for all children in care and ask the community to join in this most important endeavor.

About Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS):

DCSis committed to protecting children who are victims of abuse or neglect.? The Agency?s primary goal is to safely keep these children at home with their families by offering appropriate support services.? If safety continues to be a concern, relative or foster care placements are necessary.? DCSalso oversees adoptions from the foster care system and manages the Child Support Bureau.? The Kids First Trust Fund, supported by the sale of ?Kids First? specialty automobile license plates, subsidizes child abuse and neglect prevention programs.? Child abuse/neglect hotline:? 800.800.5556.???www.in.gov/dcs.

Source: Indiana Department of Child Services

Source: http://lifeplusstyle.com/blog/record-number-of-foster-children-adopted-in-2011

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