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| Thursday, September 2, 2010 |
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November is National Adoption Awareness Month
Published November 16, 2005
As most families gather around the table for the Thanksgiving meal this year, approximately 260 Alabama children will still be waiting to give thanks for the simple joy of having a family.
These children are in the Alabama foster care system, waiting to be matched with a family for adoption.
There are approximately 6,000 children in foster care in Alabama. Of these, approximately 600 are legally available for adoption. Half of those will be adopted by their foster parents, leaving the remaining children without an identified adoptive family.
“These are children for whom no adoptive family has been found,” said Sheenia Little, Director of the Jackson County Department of Human Resources. “More than 50 percent are male, over 50 percent are of African American heritage, and more than 60 percent are over the age of 10. Some are physically disabled; others are mentally or emotionally challenged.
Since 1990, the month of November has been designated as Adoption Awareness Month to focus attention on these children who are waiting for forever families and to help clear up misinformation about adoption.
“One of the most common misconceptions is that prospective adoptive parents have to be rich or must have a certain kind of job,” Little said. “This is not true. The applicant must be financially able to take care of a child, and they must be willing to share their home and their life with a child or children in need of a forever family.”
Other misinformation exists about adoption-related expenses. While adoption through an agency may be expensive, there is no adoption fee charged by the state for adoption services provided by DHR. Applicants pay for their physical examinations, criminal record checks and for the filing of court documents. In certain instances, reimbursement for non-recurring expenses, such as legal fees, can be made up to a specific amount.
The state requires that anyone applying to adopt or provide foster care through DHR must complete a 10-week Group Preparation and Selection (GPS) course. The class meets once a week for a three-hour session and teaches the applicants parenting skills and acquaints them with some of the issues that they may face from children who have been in the foster care system. These classes are held periodically. To sign up for GPS classes, contact DHR at 574-0300.
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