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1. Announcements | | |
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Lend Your Voice
Needed: Adoption.com is looking for a volunteer from the adoption community with broadcast speaking experience to assist with the beta of an exciting new service. Interested? E-mail editor@adoptionweek.com with a brief bio and an audio file of your speaking voice.
Ask the Adoption Doctor
Get your questions about international adoption-related medical, psychological, social work, and legal issues answered online at no cost. Every month, the adoption medicine specialists and associates of AdoptionDoctors.com will answer your questions about your concerns in these areas. What do you need to know when you receive a referral of a child in another country, without any medical information? How can parents help a child deal with traumatic stress that may have been experienced in an institutional setting? These questions and more are part of a new feature that has been added to our international adoption site: Ask the Adoption Doctor.
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2. The Adoption Blog - by Nancy Ashe | | | | |
Summer Camps: Cultural Links & Adoption Opportunities - There are camp programs in almost every state for children and families to explore, share, and learn with other children and families...more.
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3. Highlighted Articles | | | | |
The views expressed by the authors are solely their own, and for which the authors are responsible. These views do not necessarily represent the views of Adoption Week e-Magazine.
Adoptive Parent Profile - article by Leslie Zindulka, LCSW-R
What is an adoptive parent profile? An adoptive parent profile has many names. It is often referred to as a parent profile, an adoption profile, adoption dossier, adoption portfolio...more
Do Not Give Up Hope! - new article by Beth
In summary, she responded that it would complicate her life to have contact at this time - now 4 years ago - and enjoy the life she gave me. She also finally provided me with my father's full name and last known address and the explanation that she felt that she was protecting me from him. His name is on my birth certificate which was not required in 1967, which the third party agency confirmed, although they cannot search for birth fathers...more
Research Explores Why Some Internationally Adopted Children Excel While Others Struggle - article by Eryn Jelesiewicz
Krakow’s most recent study compared children adopted as infants with children adopted as toddlers, all from a single orphanage in China. The toddlers had both an advantage and a disadvantage in acquiring English. They learned faster than the younger children, but had more to learn to become age-appropriate. In general, the younger the child is when adopted and the shorter the time spent in an orphanage, the sooner the child is likely to become age-appropriate in English...more
Read these articles at e-magazine.adoption.com, and submit your adoption-related articles for publication in Adoption Week e-Magazine and Adoption.com.
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4. Adoption News | | | | |
Adoptees Vow to Fight for Access to Records
Adults who were given up for adoption as children are vowing to fight any restrictions added to a controversial bill that would unseal adoption records...more
Adoption Disclosure Law Could Shatter Lives
The government promised mothers who gave their children up for adoption that those facts would never be unearthed, Ann Cavoukian said in a release hours before she was expected to present her case to the committee scrutinizing the province's adoption disclosure law...more
'We Waited 50 Years to Hold Our Daughter'
Fifty years ago John Guilding saw his daughter for the first time, through the window of the nursing home where she had just been born. John was not allowed to go inside and hold his baby girl. He and the baby’s mother, Joan, were both married to other people. Joan’s husband had banned John from having any contact with the girl and he ordered Joan to give her up for adoption...more
Court Halts Russian Girl Adoption
Primorye prosecutor’s office has launched a criminal case against an American couple who presented fake documents to a local court to adopt a Russian girl. The prosecutor’s investigation was initiated in April after an American couple, seeking permission for adoption of a nine-month girl named Darya, presented counterfeit documents to Primorye’s regional court, a senior aide to Primorye prosecutor Irina Nomokonova reported on Saturday...more
'Rule of Six' Law Blocks Family's Adoption Dream
William and Kathryn Worthen of Abington always wanted a big family. They have five children of their own, ages 3 to 10, and had been searching the country for more to adopt when they discovered a pair. The state Department of Social Services issued the bad news: the adoption was off, due to a state law that limits the size of a foster family to six children. If they adopted both sisters, the Worthens would have seven...more
Read more headlines at news.adoption.com.
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5. Adoption Law & Policy News | | | | |
May 19, 2005
WEEKLY NEWS SUMMARY
Foster Care/Budget Cuts/State and District Systems
Washington: “Undoing Foster Care” - by Staff Writer
The Washington Post, Sunday, May 8, 2005
Click here.
Foster Care/Investigation/Privatization Concerns
Florida: “Foster Care Ordered to Clean House Amid Problems at Palm Beach County Shelters” - by Shana Gruskin
Sun-Sentinel, May 12, 2005
Click here.
WEEKLY CASE SUMMARY
State Law/Termination of Parental Rights/Appeals of Orders of Termination
Idaho: Doe v. Department of Health and Welfare
The Supreme Court of Idaho affirmed a decision terminating both parents’ parental rights. For a finding of neglect under I.C. § 16-2005(b), the court must find "a situation in which the child lacks parental care necessary for health, morals and well-being"...
Cite: No. 30941, 2005 Ida. LEXIS 83 (Ida. May 3, 2005)
Click here.
State Law/Termination of Parental Rights/Jurisdiction
California: Sherry D. v. Superior Court of Orange County
The Court of Appeals of California granted a mother’s petition for a writ of mandate/prohibition challenging a juvenile court’s decision to declare jurisdiction over her child because the juvenile court improperly consider a probate court guardianship that was in place for the child and completely ignored the status of mother’s parental rights...
Cite: No. G034979, 2005 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 3959 (Cal. Ct. App. May 3, 2005)
Click here.
State Law/Termination of Parental Rights/Appeals of Orders of Termination
California: In re: C.G.
The Court of Appeal of California reversed and remanded for further proceedings the decision of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County to terminate appellant mother’s family unification services and order permanent placement of the child...
Cite: No. B175094 2005 Cal. App. LEXIS 722 (CA Ct. App. May 5, 2005)
Click here.
Credit: National Center for Adoption Law & Policy
Link: http://www.law.capital.edu/adoption
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| | 6. Featured Adoption Product | |
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International Bear T-shirt
These t-shirts are made to last and can withstand the wear and tear little people inflict on them. Features a high thread-count embroidered bear on the front holding a 'sign' with the country of your choice...more
Find 1,000+ other adoption products at adoptionshop.com.
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| | 7. Featured Waiting Child | | | | |
 Ashley is an active, energetic Caucasian female. She requires a lot of attention and likes to give and receive affection. Ashley has been able to survive an unhappy and disruptive childhood. But she needs continuous guidance to help her stay focus. She is currently in a therapeutic setting with special educational component on the campus. Transition to a permanent placement must be done slowly with involvement with the therapist and other resource persons at the facility. Ashley likes to sing especially country western songs. She also likes to play simple card games. Because of her traumatic past experiences and her frequent placements, she is very slow to trust adults. A single mom would probably be most beneficial for this young person. Her adoptive family must be ready to make an unconditional commitment probably for a lifetime...more
Photolisting.adoption.com is a free community service of adoption.com featuring thousands of children awaiting loving, permanent homes. Add your agency's waiting children to photolisting.adoption.com, and help them find loving homes faster... more | |
| | 8. Meet New Hopeful Adoptive Parents | | | | |
Are you pregnant? Visit parentprofiles.com (a service of Adoption Profiles, LLC) to find the right adoptive parents for your baby. Are you a hopeful adoptive parent? Build your profile.
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9. Adoption Gem | | | | |
True love doesn't have a happy ending; true love has no ending.
- Ed McKenzie
Share your story, thought, or quote.
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10. Adoption Buzz | | | | |
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11. Just for the Fun of It | | | | |
Ugly Faces
Finding one of her students making faces at others on the playground, Ms. Smith stopped to gently reprove the child. Smiling sweetly the teacher said, "When I was a child, I was told if I made ugly faces I would stay like that."
The student looked up and replied, "Well you can't say you weren't warned."
Share your humorous story or joke.
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| | 12. Featured Adoption Professional | | | | |
StorkSearch Adoptions - Casco, ME
Toll Free: (800) 450-7191 E-mail: connecttoadopt@pivot.net
services: • Adoption Agencies • Home Studies...more
Find adoption agencies, attorneys and other adoption professionals at adoptiondirectory.com. See your ad here.
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| | 13. Counsel from an Adoptee & a Birth Mother | | | | |
This section is not intended for search advice. It is meant to be an advice column for people with questions concerning their feelings, interested in the opinion of someone who can relate. The views expressed by this author is solely his own, and for which the author is responsible. The content within this column is not to be considered as professional medical, legal or behavioral health information to be used in diagnosis, treatment or actions that would require the consultation and/or services of a licensed, certified or accredited professional. These views do not necessarily represent the views of Adoption Week e-Magazine.
Question:
Hi, Jan & Linda:
I would like to tell you how much I love this site! It is odd how reading other people's experiences can bring "stuffed" emotions to the surface. Thank you!
I am responding to D's posting. I just wanted to share my point of view on this.
I am 26 and I was adopted when I was 18 months. I have a 5 year old daughter and I am not going to lie, being adopted and not knowing anything about my birth family is very hard and there always and forever will be questions I have and I do agree with Jan that once you have a child it brings up more questions but I do not think it is always healthiest to keep contact with the family.
God has recently blessed me with a sister. My parents adopted a baby girl last year and through this last year I have met the birth family and each time we have gotten together I end up in tears wanting to take my sister and run, to do anything I could to keep them from harming her. My poor sister always ends up with her fist clenched and her body is so tight. As parents, it is our job to protect our children and make what we believe are the best decisions for them. If it were my decision I would put everything in a box and allow her to see it when she wants. I admire what my dad and mom have done, I could never allow that family to hold my child they have nothing positive to offer her except information about the blood line. Both grandmothers are still alive and they are wonderful, I know that that relationship could be left open without the parent's relationship. The mother used during her pregnancy, is now in jail, she has had her 3 kids taken away 4 times, once was in Hawaii so it did not count. The father is ill with a heart disease cause by drug use that will kill him and he has not cleaned up.
How could these people have anything positive to help raise a healthy happy child of God?
There is something about my sister maybe it is the fact that she is adopted and I feel so close to her. It makes me sad every time I think of her being with these people and if I were my child I would not be able to do it.
Thank you for listening to all of us that send you our bottled emotions in an e-mail!
XOXO,
Tina
Answers: To read Jan and Linda's responses, click here.
Read columnists' bios and ask your question.
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| | 14. Speak Out | | | | |
This section is not intended for search inquiries. However, in cases where search inquiries are posted, if contacted by an individual wishing to assist you with a search, do not assume or believe that any searcher is a professional or has the backing of Adoption.com or its constituents. If you provide information to anyone you are unfamiliar with or agree to a paid search, you do so at your own risk.
Hi all, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone. I now know I am not alone in my pain. I was adopted at the age of 2 and have no info on anything except some dates and my mother's name (Patricia A. Matthews). I live in MA, and it is next to impossible to get anything about my adoption. It's nice to hear that people are actually successful in finding their birth families. It gives me hope. Sometimes that hope gets me through the day. So thank you everyone for your inspiration and your strength. - Angelique
Hello, I founded a search & support group in Orlando, Fl in 1991. We meet the 2nd Monday of each month. All the meetings are open to the triad. We have adoptees, birth parents & adoptive parents that attend. Of course there is no charge. We are the only group in the center of the state from coast-to-coast. I enjoy your articles and share them with our group. I am an adult adoptee, and I learned at 50 that I was adopted. It changed my life completely. Triad Adoption Search & Support (2nd Mondays), 7 pm, Mark St. Senior Center, 99 E. Mark St., Orlando, FL 32804; call (407) 843-2760 or visit http://www.virtualgateways.com/triad.
Thank you. - Bertie Hunt
Tess- We have had six children (two single infants and two sets of twins) returned to their birth parents at various times after being told by the workers that they would most certainly be available for adoption. We were told in each of these instances that the children’s birth parents were “repeat offenders” within the system and had had their rights terminated on other children in the past. We were told that the birth parents in each case had not rectified the situations that had led to the removal of their other children and that reunification would not be successful. After having these children for 5 months, 6 months, 15 months and 2 years – we were devastated when they were returned to their birth parents! We had had other children returned to their birth parents, but in those cases – reunification was the plan from the start and the birth parents had really made progress. With these 6 babies, we really felt that “our” children were being placed into harmful situations. Each time, we said that we were going to “quit” – but we didn’t. The twins that we had had for 2 years ended up back in foster care within 5 months, and we fought to get them back into our home when we found out...their adoptions were finalized just over a year ago! Also, because we continued to foster in spite of our heartache, we have had the opportunity to help several more children/families. Of the other children that we had fostered, we were able to adopt 4. We are now in the process of adopting our 7th child (who happens to be the new birth brother of our twins). Now I think that we may stop fostering, as we are being eaten out of house and home! For all of the heartache that happens when a little one leaves – there is incredible joy when one becomes a permanent part of your family. Plus, you must realize that you have “planted a seed” in your little ones, and even if they are returned home, the seed you planted will help them survive, be happy and lead a better life than they would have had if they had never met you! My heart goes out to you. - Rhonda
We adopted our daughter and son, and they are our former foster children. Their birth mother asked us to adopt them when it became clear that the court was going to make them crown wards. This was a pleasurable shock, and we have since kept the line of communication open with her by phone and letters. My problem is with her mother; she drives by our house and the park. The CAS has sent her a number of letters to leave us alone but to no avail. She sends gifts to the kids {now 4 and 5). We got them at 3 months and 18 months. How do I stay sane? Has anyone out there had this happen to them? When we see them out in public, she starts to wail and make the biggest commotion. When we adopted these children, she lived out-of-town but came back right after the adoption was finalized in court. The stress is causing me to want to pull away from the birth mom because of what her mom is doing. Moving is not an option at this time. Help! - DC
A woman's body is a vessel through which God allows a new human being to enter the world. It is the nurturing characteristics of the caretaker that makes them a parent, not the biology of the circumstance. A thought from an adoptee who was abandoned at the hospital as a newborn and never sought but who had the presence of mind as a pregnant, teenage runaway to pass the gift of life on to a childless couple. I respect my birth mother's privacy for never having sought me (you just weren't honest about such things in 1960), and I love my natural son's adopted parents for giving him the life I was not able to. - K
I was born in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas on December 15, 1937. {Tarrant County has sealed adoption records.} I have the name of the home in Fort Worth for young mothers, where I was adopted from when I was about 10 days old. They discontinued handling adoptions in the early 1980's and sent all their records to the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Austin, Texas. I didn't find this out until I contacted the home in the late 80's. I have been in contact with one individual here in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area who has been appointed a liaison with the court I was adopted in. It has been at least a year since I last spoke with her, but I know she is definitely a reliable source to call upon to obtain my birth mother's name & also to find out some information about my family - my birth father and possible siblings. At that time, her fee was $300.00 Unfortunately, I don't have the financial means to pay this amount of money. I'm very disappointed, because the older I become the more I want to know about my birth mother & any extended family I might have. Both of my loving, adoptive parents died many years ago. I was dearly loved and cherished and wish my birth mother could know this. It would be the dream and hope of a lifetime, if I could find my birth mother, father and/or possible siblings. There's such an empty, lonely feeling in my heart because I know nothing about my parents or my ancestry. Also, I have two grown sons who would be thrilled if I could find any of my family. Does anyone have suggestions for
me, as to whom or from where I might obtain some help? - BAC
Speak Out - share your opinion, comment, or respond to a message.
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15. Adoption Poetry | | | | |
Waiting for You
I carry you with me
Untouchable now
And yet real.
You invade my dreams
Filling me with hope
And despair
Which battle each other
To fill my heart.
But my heart is already filled
With your presence.
I know you are there
Our souls have already joined
Across time.
I look longingly for the day
When I will hold you,
Dreams and reality
Sealed with the love
That has grown
For a child
Not known
And yet treasured
Kathie Leckenby, February 1997
Written while waiting for our 2 Ethiopian sons to join our family
Read more adoption poetry, or share your adoption poem.
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| | 16. Adoption Calendar | | | | |
Chat Schedule:
Sunday
Open Adoptions
5 pm Pacific, 6 pm Mountain, 7 pm Central, 8 pm Eastern
Chat with BrandyHagz who is an adoptee and birth mother, about open adoptions in the hosted chat room. This chat is open to all sides of the adoption triad.
Monday
Therapy for Older Children and Trauma-Attachment Disorders
2 pm Pacific, 3 pm Mountain, 4 pm Central, 5 pm Eastern
Join Dr. Art Becker-Weidman in the hosted chat room and ask him questions on therapy for older children and trauma-attachment disorders.
Tuesday
Foster Care
6 pm Pacific, 7 pm Mountain, 8 pm Central, 9 pm Eastern
For those who are interested in foster care or would like to share their concerns and experiences with others, join Stacy, luv'mall, in the hosted chat room.
Wednesday
Search and Reunion
5 pm Pacific, 6 pm Mountain, 7 pm Central, 8 pm Eastern
Join Bama Donna in the search and reunion chat room for advice and support.
There are no hosted chats on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. If you are interested in hosting a chat on a topic you don't see listed, contact admin@adoptionmedia.com.
Adoption Events:
6th Annual Adoption Law and Practice Conference
June 3 (8:30 am) - Christ The King Catholic Church, 821 South Dale Mabry, Tampa, Florida
Florida Adoption Council - Guest Speakers: Adam Pertman, Director, Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute and author of Adoption Nation & Luci Hadi, FL Secretary of the Department of Children and Families. Continuing Education Credits are available for attorneys, LCSWs, LMHC, and LMFT. Certificates of Attendance will be awarded at the end of the program. To register, call (941) 924-4949 or e-mail.
2005 Annual National Conference
June 3 & 4 - Evergreen, Colorado
Institute For Attachment & Child Development - Keynote Speaker: Nancy Verrier author of "The Primal Wound" and "Coming Home to Self". The Conference will focus on the topic of “Parenting ‘Acting-Out' Children: Acting-out behaviors because of neglect, abuse, or loss of primary adults in their life. Click here for brochure. Click here for presenters and workshop information.
You Can Afford Adoption: Getting Started Seminar
June 4 (9:00 am - 1:00 pm) - Marriott Hickory Ridge, Lisle (Chicago), IL
A Mother's Charm - Free to the public - Speakers (professional tax and financial expert speakers and adoptive families sharing "how to" afford adoption). AMC requests attendees bring donations for the Ukrainian Orphan Program for Chicago who are hosting several orphans requiring corrective surgery in Summer 2005. (In-Kind Sponsor: Adoption Services Group) To learn more and register, click here.
Exploring Adoption
June 4 (10:00 am - 12:30 pm) - Santa Cruz, CA
Adoption Paths - Workshop series providing comprehensive, unbiased information about all types of adoption (international and domestic). For more information, contact Sara Lively at (831) 476-7252, e-mail, or click here.
Exploring Adoption
June 7 (6:30 am - 9:00 pm) - San Jose, CA
Adoption Paths - Workshop series providing comprehensive, unbiased information about all types of adoption (international and domestic). For more information, contact Sara Lively at (831) 476-7252, e-mail, or click here.
To view local listings, regional seminars, many other adoption events, and to list your organization's events, visit adoptioncalendar.com.
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This e-magazine is provided as a free community service, and by using and reading it you agree to the terms and conditions as posted at AdoptionWeek.com. Adoption.com makes no warrantee about the accurateness of any information in this magazine, and does not endorse any adoption professional, adoption product or other adoption service. If you have received this e-mail erroneously, or do not agree to the terms of this disclaimer, please unsubscribe.
(c) Adoption Media, LLC 2005
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