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If you have a subject that you would like for Nina to Blog about, please let her know.
If you have a subject that you would like for Nina to Blog about, please let her know.
Celebrate National Adoption Month!
Celebrate National Adoption Month!
Some great info from the California Courts (courts.ca.gov)
Some great info from the California Courts (courts.ca.gov)
This November marks the 20th year that the Judicial Council has issued a Proclamation declaring November to be "Court Adoption and Permanency Month." The legislature joined in this effort with Assembly Concurrent Resolution Number 126 (Maienshein; Stats. 2019, ch. 174External link icon) and Senate Concurrent Resolution Number 74 (Pan; Stats. 2019, ch. 159External link icon). National Adoption Month was also recognized federally External link icon with an emphasis on the immeasurable love and support that adoptive parents and families provide to hundreds of thousands of children each year and the continued need to find permanent families for children in foster care.
Each year in California, nearly half a million reports are made of child abuse and neglect, and approximately 21,000 children enter foster care for the first time, compared to 27,000 twenty years ago. Currently, about 60,000 children in California are living apart from their families in child welfare–supervised, out-of-home care, which is a substantial number, but 44 percent less than it was twenty years ago. And the proportion of children exiting foster care into a permanent home has increased by 10 percent in the last twenty years, including a 57 percent increase in the proportion of those being adopted. While progress has been made since the council first declared November Court Adoption and Permanency Month twenty years ago, much work still needs to be done to improve the lives of children and families in the child welfare system. Forty percent of the children in foster care in California still live apart from their families for two or more years, 3,300 foster children are placed in congregate care rather than with relatives or in a home-like setting, and the percentage of foster children over 10 years old who exit foster care through adoption remains at only 25 percent.
Permanent placement of a child in a committed relationship intended to last a lifetime—with the child's family if that is possible or another loving family if it's not—is the goal of the juvenile court process. In proclaiming November Adoption and Permanency month, the Judicial Council acknowledges the ongoing efforts of California's juvenile courts and their justice partners to provide children and families with access to fair, understandable judicial proceedings leading to timely, well-informed, and just permanency outcomes.
If you have a subject that you would like for Nina to Blog about, please let her know.
If you have a subject that you would like for Nina to Blog about, please let her know.
California Adoption Conference! Nov 5-6, 2021
California Adoption Conference! Nov 5-6, 2021
CAC is Finally Back - Fully Online!
I am so happy to share that the 2021 California Adoption Conference will be taking place on November 5th and 6th and it will be completely virtual!
Registration is open and you may find additional information here:
And be sure to check out the Facebook Event Page for any special announcements!
Friday November 5
& Saturday November 6, 2021
Register Now to Join us Online!
February 2, 2021
Understanding the Adoption Tax Credit
Tax season is here. If you are an adoptive parent, it is important to understand your benefits under the current tax law.
October 2, 2020
Supreme Court sets Nov. 4 to hear if Catholic agency can reject LGBTQ parents
The U.S. Supreme Court has set Nov. 4 as the date when it will hear oral arguments on whether a taxpayer-funded religious-affiliated foster care agency can lawfully reject same-sex c​ouples — a case that could have a significant impact on policies and laws prohibiting discrimination across the board.
CENTER for ADOPTION SUPPORT and EDUCATION
FEE WEBINARS IN MAY
CENTER for ADOPTION SUPPORT and EDUCATION
FEE WEBINARS IN MAY
The Center for Adoption Support and Education is offering free Adoption Webinars through the month of May.
Check out the list of webinars here. Apply the code HOME at checkout.
The Center for Adoption Support and Education is a fantastic organization whose mission is to improve the lives of children who have been adopted or in foster care and their families through counseling, lifelong education, and a growing national network of trained professionals
The Center for Adoption Support and Education is offering free Adoption Webinars through the month of May.
Check out the list of webinars here. Apply the code HOME at checkout.
The Center for Adoption Support and Education is a fantastic organization whose mission is to improve the lives of children who have been adopted or in foster care and their families through counseling, lifelong education, and a growing national network of trained professionals
California Adoption Conference-NEW DATES
California Adoption Conference-NEW DATES
Great News! The California Adoption Conference has been rescheduled for October 23 and 24, 2020. The conference was able to secure the same great presenters and seminars. I have attended several of these conferences and have had the privilege of presenting as well, and it is a wonderful opportunity to learn, grow, and become inspired. In addition to the attendance of members of the triad, adoptive parents, birth parents, and adoptees, the participants are also pre-adoptive parents of domestic, international and foster care, birth parents who have place recently and in the past, our adoption professional community and more. This conference is a collaboration of six bay area non-profit organizations and only happens every two years so register now.
After our months in seclusion, this will be an excellent opportunity to connect with our adoption community.
The conference will be held at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center 388 9th St, Oakland, CA 94607. For more information and to register, please check out the California Adoption Conference website.
Great News! The California Adoption Conference has been rescheduled for October 23 and 24, 2020. The conference was able to secure the same great presenters and seminars. I have attended several of these conferences and have had the privilege of presenting as well, and it is a wonderful opportunity to learn, grow, and become inspired. In addition to the attendance of members of the triad, adoptive parents, birth parents, and adoptees, the participants are also pre-adoptive parents of domestic, international and foster care, birth parents who have place recently and in the past, our adoption professional community and more. This conference is a collaboration of six bay area non-profit organizations and only happens every two years so register now.
After our months in seclusion, this will be an excellent opportunity to connect with our adoption community.
The conference will be held at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center 388 9th St, Oakland, CA 94607. For more information and to register, please check out the California Adoption Conference website.
Staying Connected in Adoption during this time of isolation with COVID-19
Staying Connected in Adoption during this time of isolation with COVID-19
March 23, 2020
As we all grapple with our new reality of isolation and fears due to COVID-19 and the "shelter in place" orders given by our government leaders, it will be important to stay connected. While things are very different than before, supporting each other during this time will help calm some of our anxieties and give us a better sense of well being. ​
If you are a member of the adoption triad, this time of isolation from others can be even more difficult. Navigating relationships in adoption comes with its own challenges and having a devastating illness affecting our world and an external barrier to contact, can make things worse. Anxiety, fears, hopelessness, and depression may increase with the uncertainty as to the health and well being of each member of the triad ( your child's birth parent, the adoptive parents of your birth child, and for the child).
I have put together a shortlist of things that you can do to increase your sense of well being in relation to your adoption.
- Check-in! It is important to honor your post-adoption agreement, however, it is ok to check in with the adoptive parents or the birth parents during this time. Anxiety often increases when there is a lack of connection so a text, email or call to make sure that everyone if doing well may relieve some stress.
- Video chat if possible. Seeing others and hearing their voices also are reassuring, while not quite the same as visiting in person it can create a real connection.
- If you do not have the ability to have contact, write a letter, make an entry in a journal, or do an art project. You can write your hopes for well being or use this modality to express your concerns and feelings.
- Make connections with your personal community of family, friends or coworkers. Reducing isolation is very important.
- Try to get out of your house to walk, safely staying a responsible distance from others. Exercising reduces one's cortisol (stress hormone) which will help you to feel better. No marathon required, just take a walk around your block or to your nearest park.
- Reach out to a familiar adoption professional or therapist if you are finding that these feelings are not manageable.
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