The Nation Focuses on Children Who Need a Permanent Home
The Children's Bureau's National Adoption Month campaign seeks to increase national awareness of adoption issues, bring attention to the need for adoptive families for teens in the foster care system, and emphasize the value of youth engagement. The initiative began as National Adoption Week in 1984.
The theme of this year's National Adoption Month is "Small Steps Open Doors." Pursuing permanency for teens can be challenging, but small steps along the way can make all the difference. Taking the time to talk with, and listen to, youth can help you earn their trust and help the youth become more engaged in their own permanency planning. It can also create an environment where youth can be honest and ask questions.
Our Adoption Orientation goes over each step in detail. Parents know what is to be expected of them. We review what parents need: Get fingerprinted. Get a medical exam. Get references. And get local police clearance. Please link to website here to sign up for orientation.
Only 5 percent of all children who were adopted were 15–18 years old. Teens in foster care wait longer for permanency than younger children and are at higher risk of 'aging out.'
-- Source: US Children's Bureau, data from 2020
"Teens need love, support, and a sense of belonging that families can provide," reports the U.S. Children's Bureau. "Securing lifelong connections for these teens, both legally and emotionally, is a critical component in determining their future achievement, health, and well-being."
To learn more about National Adoption Month and the resources available through the Children's Bureau, click here.
Please keep in touch via social media and the World Wide Web. Follow us on Facebook here. Connect with us on LinkedIn here. Follow the conversation with us on Twitter here. See what's happening via Instagram here. Join us in action at YouTube here. Please contact Stacey Oakes at (248) 443-2144 to learn about our Tuesdays are for Teens posts.
More About Adoption
Ms. Kelly Burrell is our Foster Care & Adoption Program Manager, Spaulding for Children. She has served the Agency for nine years.
We asked Ms. Burrell to highlight things the public might not know about Adoption. Following are just some of her thoughts on the subject:
What’s a common misperception people have about Adoption?
Many people still think they have to be a married couple to adopt -- and that is not the case, at all. You need to be dependable. You need to be there for these youngsters who have been let down.
How do potential families learn all they have to do?
Our Adoption Orientation goes over each step in detail. Parents know what is to be expected of them. We review what parents need: Get fingerprinted. Get a medical exam. Get references. And get local police clearance.
What has changed recently?
Things are just taking longer. The process is not as long as during the height of COVID when offices were closed, but Adoption is not a quick process.
In Wayne County, some parts of the process have changed and it means a lengthier process, from filing to review. Spaulding steps in to help wherever we can. Those looking to adopt have many things they need to do and need to provide. Being on top of the documents and deadlines will help keep the process moving forward.
What still amazes you after 9 years?
The number of teenagers awaiting a Forever Family amazes and saddens me. People might think that at an older age, a parent can’t make an impression on them, or that they are too-set in their ways. So, many families seek younger children. And many teens are left waiting. As they age, children in the system may develop behaviors as a result of lack of trust in adults. Few people in their lives have followed through or kept their word. They need a family they can count on. Like the campaign this month says: "Be a source of calm and safety."
Spaulding loves our Adoptive Families
Instead of waiting until November to celebrate our families, Spaulding now celebrates each time an adoption is completed. Families receive a gift card, specific to something meaningful to the family, when the adoption has been finalized. Some families request a gift card to go out to a nice dinner and other families like to pick a place for a family outing, such as at a trampoline park.
An Adoptive Mother's Journey
Shanetha Moore says “it was love at first sight” when she met Javon. The then 2-year-old needed a home for the weekend as his mom was getting respite care. Ms. Moore had raised four biological children and just “loves kids.”
The weekend turned into a longer stay and Shanetha became a foster mom to Javon, a time during which she was committed to facilitating visits with Javon’s mother and family. Spaulding for Children believes that children and youth do best with their biological family, but we realize that is not always possible. When a child or youth is in need of permanency the current caregiver is explored as an option.
Ms. Moore described the adoption process and its impact on her family. Bringing a new member into a family means everyone in the family has an important role, Ms. Moore said.
However, before they had started the formal adoption process, Ms. Moore's biological children had told her, “It’s going to happen. He’s part of our family now.”
“Spaulding was very supportive and gave me all the tools I needed to be licensed," Ms Moore said. "And Spaulding totally supported us as we worked through the process."
“People think adoption is difficult because you did not give birth to the child and so he won’t really be yours. But that is wrong. Love grows.As an adoptive mom, I can say I love him as much as any of my children.When you adopt, you change someone’s life. The home you create for them means they are safe, comfortable and complete – sometimes for the first time ever in a child's memory. 'Complete' because he has family and he knows that he has everything he needs, because we will provide it for him.”
Ms. Moore and her family have since fostered other children. Shanetha works to see that Javon stays connected with his biological siblings too. “Family is everything. When I am old, I want all my children to come to my home with their children.”
Meet the Children Waiting for a Forever Home
More than 3,000 children in Michigan are waiting for permanent, loving homes to call their own. Each and every child deserves to be in a permanent home where they are part of a loving family. Some wait year after year. Learn more at the Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange through detailed profiles of children awaiting adoption. Click here to visit online.
MASCO Awards Grant to Spaulding
Funds Will Support Kinship and Kin Caregivers
Michigan manufacturer MASCO Corporation has awarded a grant of $10,000 to Spaulding for Children. The funds will be used to support Spaulding's efforts to advance Kinship and support the caregivers who are Kin.
Researchers in child and family welfare reported that Kinship caregivers may have needs that are more “immediate and intense,” including needs for financial assistance, material supports, and child care needs. Older kinship caregivers may need support navigating the educational and recreational needs of the children in their care. This suggests that community partnerships can be a resource for kinship caregivers, noting that it is often easier for families to build trust with community agencies than to build trust with child welfare staff.
Remember Those Who Protect Our Freedom: Our Veterans
In honor of their commitment to our country, November 11 is designated Veterans Day. The date and time commemorate the 1918 signing of the Armistice that ended hostilities in World War I.
The photo at left depicts Airman First Class Orlandus Smith, Sr. who served as a member of the United States Air Force. Today, Mr. Smith supports our community as a member of Spaulding's Board of Directors and as a Mentor for the youth they serve.
We'd like to share Mr. Smith's thoughts on his service:
Does your experience in the military influence your volunteerism as a civilian?
"During my four years in the US Air Force I was always selected to be a team leader or asked to participate on a committee. I always had a mentor during my military career. I always mentored coworkers/employees during my career as a HR manager for the Federal Government."
Why do you mentor with Spaulding for Children?
"Curtis Smith (a former Board member) asked me if I would be interested in coming to observe how he and other staff members provided services to children of the foster care parents who are required to attend one of Spaulding for Children’s monthly training sessions. Each month after, I returned and I helped Curtis develop a mentorship program. I enjoy mentoring the young adults at Spaulding. I found out my mother spent some time within the foster care system. I was raised to always be respectful and to look out for the elderly and children. I also believe that by seeing someone who look like themselves, add to the mentees interest and desire to listen to our life experiences. I believe the mentees need to have someone show them they care about their life and future."
What other lessons about service would you like to share?
"It’s an honor to be a US military veteran. I learned to take care of myself, my health, family, education and career. To always think positive. Know what’s important in life. To listen and understanding instructions. To think on your feet about where you’re at and what you want to accomplish. Focus on results. To have a mentor or advisor. Giving back has always been something I felt an obligation to do. Providing my life experiences to the youth at Spaulding has been an honor. Being asked to be a board member just added to my desire to serve and help the youth at Spaulding. I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve."
Thank you, Mr. Smith, for your service to our country and to Spaulding for Children!
Readers, the next time you thank a veteran for their service, please also remember what their commitment really means. We who live today owe the men and women who served our country in uniform our gratitude and respect, for they have helped keep us and our nation free and worked to make ours a better world.
Fun with Our Families and Our Team
Trunk or Treat III was great fun. We had over a dozen trunks filled with treats, as well as donuts and cider courtesy of Franklin Cider Mill. Everyone enjoyed “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” on the big screen and the activities and crafts, thanks to a grant from Oakland County Parks.
For Spirit Week we celebrated every day with a different theme: Sports Teams, Halloween, Funny Hats and Twinning. Some sent photos from their remote work locations and others from the office.
We all are grateful to be able to have fun and still do the important work we do.
Kristina Vaseau, LMSW, Vice President Child & Family Services,
Spaulding for Children, shared the photos above.
Hats off -- and big thanks -- to Kristina and to all the members of the Spaulding Team!
QIC-EY Announces Partner Sites
Ensuring that children and youth in care are engaged authentically, particularly in relation to permanency, requires a paradigm shift in how the child welfare system understands engagement and views their involvement in decision-making. Children and youth need to be seen as competent, knowledgeable experts who are partners in decisions about their lives, especially those related to legal, cultural and relational permanency.
To accomplish its goals, the Quality Improvement Center on Engaging Youth in Finding Permanency (QIC-EY) is partnering with the following sites.
Hawaii
Michigan
Montana
Nebraska
Rhode Island
Oklahoma Southern Plains (CPT) Consortium
Yakama Nation
Between 10/2022 and 9/2026, these sites will receive support and resources from the QIC to make changes in how they authentically engage children and youth. The information gained through evaluation of the work being done in the pilot sites will help to transform how children and youth are engaged authentically in child welfare systems throughout the nation.
Pilot sites will advance the authentic engagement of children and youth by working in partnership with the QIC-EY over the next four years to:
Identify, implement and evaluate an authentic, child and youth engagement program model;
Implement a child welfare training and coaching curriculum;
Identify and implement systemic changes, and
Partner with the courts to implement a training for court professionals and staff.
Click here to learn more about QIC-EY pilots sites.
A Little Help for Those Who Make Thanksgiving Possible
Having a crowd of people over and serving a meal with multiple dishes for Thanksgiving dinner can be stressful. But, it doesn't have to be.
Here are some tips to make your Thanksgiving a bit easier. And remember, it's about family and friends and spending time together.
Santa Shop & Holiday Party Coming Up
The Santa Shop takes place at the Agency offices Tuesday, November 29 through Friday, December 2. Created exclusively for Spaulding children and families, the shop gives kids an opportunity to select a holiday present for someone in their life. This is provided free of charge to families as part of our ongoing work to build positive experiences for families.
Giving Tuesday is November 29 and we hope that you can help us make this holiday special for our families.
This year’s Holiday Party is themed is Flannel & Frost. We are asking for donations of cozy socks, or slippers ( all sizes), throw blankets, and stuffed animals. Donations can be shipped or dropped off at the agency before November 29. You also can contribute via our wish list (click here).
We are looking for volunteers for our Holiday Partyon December 2. If you are available, please contact Cheryl Gist by email at cgist@spaulding.org or by phone: (248) 443-2131.
We also are still looking for gifts for our families. These gifts are presented to Spaulding children and families at their homes during the holidays. Our wish list is here.
These wonderful events for the families would not be possible without the support of the community. We thank all of those who attended and supported our October Trunk or Treat and look forward to working with those who are ready to support the events in December.
And While You're Shopping... Please, Remember Spaulding
Spaulding for Children is signed up for community reward programs with Kroger and Amazon. That means when you shop at either establishment, a portion of the proceeds benefit Spaulding.
You can connect your Kroger account to Spaulding for Children. Click here, then search for Spaulding. Now, every time you buy from Kroger, a portion of your purchase will help us.
Also, you can select SFC as your charity of choice on Amazon Smile. Click here to sign up and 5% of your eligible purchases are donated to SFC! It's as easy as going into your account settings and changing your charity to Spaulding for Children / SFC-Southfield(Please remember there also is a Spaulding in Houston, Texas, too!).
Thank you to the team at Campbell Marketing & Communications for their continued support.
Please keep us posted about news you'd like to share with our colleagues. We'd also like to know your thoughts about our newsletter and how we can better cover what interests you. Email our Editor, Cheryl Gist:cgist@spaulding.org. Thank you!
In partnership with families, communities, organizations, states and the nation, Spaulding for Children’s mission is to assure that all children grow up in safe, permanent families and have the help they need to be successful in life.
