(The Center Square) – Saturday Nov. 23, marks the 25th anniversary of National Adoption Day.
According to the National Adoption Day website, it is a grassroots effort to raise awareness of the more than 108,000 children waiting to be adopted from foster care in the United States.
During the annual event, which began earlier this week, courts and organizations in more than 400 communities across the country opened their doors to finalize and celebrate adoptions from foster care.
Washington Department of Children Youth and Families Adoption Program Manager Jacki Christl told The Center Square, they have about 800 kids currently in foster care who are eligible for adoption.
“The majority of kids up for adoption or legally free are of school age,” said Christl. “We’re always aggressively looking for kin for kids who can’t go home to their birth parents.”
Christl said many families hoping to adopt come into the system seeking a newborn, but that’s not where the need is greatest.
“The legally free kids that we have a need now for are elementary age kids and older teenaged kids and these are amazing children and being able to incorporate them into your family is great,” said Christl, who explained there are overall fewer children in the foster care system now than prior years, so therefore fewer children available for adoption.
“This year the volume of kids in foster care has changed a lot and we’ve been really successful in unifying kids that can go home to their biological parents,” she said. “We do a much better job of that now.”
Nancy Gutierrez, Communication Administrator with DCYF told The Center Square the number of children waiting to be adopted is less than last year.
“We had about 1,065 children waiting to be adopted this time last year,” said Gutierrez who suggested anyone thinking about potential adoption should start the process.
“When we have folks who are interested in adopting, we ask that they become licensed foster parents to start that process. If you want to adopt you go through that route,” said Gutierrez.
Older kids in the system need forever families too.
“If kids can leave our system with even just one caring adult, like with help signing a first lease or going to college and have a place to come home to, all of those things are important for these kids, and it really makes all the difference,” said Christl. “Having a family, there is no comparison to that.”
The Kent Regional Justice Center was one of several locations in Washington Thursday and Friday hosting adoption proceedings and celebrations.
DCYF emailed The Center Square details of an adoption in Yakima this week in conjunction with National Adoption Day.
“During his adoption hearing, Logan had a huge cheering section made up of family friends, adoptive grandparents, teachers, Fostering Solutions staff, extended adoptive family, and DCYF staff who were all there to support him and his new family. The celebration included balloons, stuffed animals, cookies, and a pizza party after the hearing. He is now happy and hopeful for the future. He enjoys playing soccer and basketball and has great relationships with his adoptive parents and three siblings. “Logan is a perfect fit for our family, and we are blessed that he accepted us permanently,” his parents said.
To learn more about adoption in Washington state, visit this site.
