Mass Adoption Ceremony is Special Day

2008 Hamilton County mass adoption

Tomorrow is a big day for our agency and a huge day for five children in our care.

Those five children, all victims of abuse and neglect, will officially join permanent, loving families in Hamilton County’s third annual mass adoption ceremony to celebrate National Adoption Month.

The ceremony takes place at Hamilton County’s Probate Court. I really appreciate Judge Cissell hosting this event each year. This year, we are live streaming the event, so you can watch from your home or desk. Tune in before 9 a.m. by clicking on the link below:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/hamilton-county-jfs-adoption-day

This is one of the most exciting times of the year for me and for our staff. This is the culmination of a tremendous amount of work to find the right family for a child who has experienced a tough life. Seeing that work result in an emotional, touching ceremony is an uplifting moment for our staff.

Hamilton County investigates more than 6,000 reports of child abuse and neglect a year. When intensive services fail and a child can no longer remain safe in a parent’s care, the county will seek custody of the child and attempt to find a safe and loving adoptive home. That sometimes takes months or years.

The agency currently has more than 200 children available for adoption. The Nov. 20 ceremony stands as a symbol for all of the adoptions we do – more than 70 so far in 2009.

All of this year’s adoptees will permanently join the foster families who have cared for them most, if not all, of their lives. Included:

● A 1-year-old boy who will join three biological sisters who were adopted by their foster family last year. The legally blind, but very bubbly, child has three big sisters who enjoy helping mom and dad with feedings, play time, reading books, etc.

● A 1-year-old boy who came to live with his foster family straight from the hospital. He will join two older biological siblings – twins — who have previously been adopted by his foster family. The adoptive family has also formed a relationship with another adoptive family caring for the older biological siblings of their three children.

● A 4-year-old boy who is being adopted by the foster parents who have loved and nurtured him most of his life. He joins three other adoptees in the family.

● A 1-year-old boy who will join two older brothers in a foster family that has cared for him for almost his entire biological life.

● A 1-year-old boy who is being adopted by biological relatives who have fostered him since he left the hospital. The boy has thrived in the loving care of his new parents.

If you are interested in adopting or becoming foster parents can learn more at www.hckids.org or by calling (513) 632-6366 or e-mailing adoption@jfs.hamilton-co.org .

by Jim Tinker

Filed Under: Communication

Tagged: adoption, ceremony, children, foster care