Holidays 2

Children’s Bureau’s adoption program has a high success rate of families staying together because of a unique Amatching team@ approach, support system, training and follow-up program once a child is adopted. There are many factors that the agency considers when matching a family with a child that include the child=s age, gender, health, history and special needs as well as how the child might fit in with a family=s interests, activities, beliefs and perhaps even other children.

“Each child being considered as a match for a family is assigned a team of Children=s Bureau professional staff to review their history and needs to make the best possible fit for the child and family,” said Lou Graham, director of Children’s Bureau’s foster care and adoption program. “For example, a child who has special needs such as an infant who tests positive for prenatal drug or alcohol exposure will be placed with a family that is willing to take on the range of emotional and physical demands of that child. Children’s Bureau works closely with these families to help them better understand how to handle the near and long-term effects they may encounter,@ she added.

The agency offers new families services that include 24-hour support, weekly social worker visits, support groups, ongoing training and a mentor program. Children’s Bureau also offers what it calls a Aneeds and services planning meeting@ that is conducted for each child. This involves a team meeting to plan for each child’s individual needs 30 days after the child has been placed in the home and every six months after that. Furthermore, developmental testing is conducted periodically by Children’s Bureau’s consulting psychologist to see how well the child is doing while also working with the team and family in recommending any follow-up services needed.