Educating the Older Adopted Child

Thursday, May 21st at 2PM CENTRAL TIME

With Stephanee Potts and Sally Lopez

Stephanee will talk about the unique challenges of planning for the educational needs of older child adoption.

When a new child in our family speaks another language and is not on grade or even developmental level, how do we prepare for them and set them up for success?

As a mom of older girls from Ukraine, Stephanee not only crossed this often times perilous bridge but has developed specific strategies and curriculum to meet this need.

Join HFO board member Sally Lopez as she interviews HFO board member Stephanee Potts about how bridging to full potential is possible for older adoptees.

Text your questions to 512-710-5979

Go to hopefororphans.sermon.net to view the LiveStream on Thursday

WATCH HERE>>

Retired Couple Adopts Teenager Aging Out of Foster Care

Check out this recent piece from the Nightly News with Brian Williams. It's a story of a husband and wife who, at retirement age, decided to add to their family by adopting a teenager who had aged out of the foster care system.

This scenario is playing out more and more across our nation. In fact, Safe Families for Children is introducing a new program whereby people can host or mentor teenagers that are aging out of the system. The program is not about adoption, but about being there for a young adult who needs the love, wisdom and guidance of a person or couple that can be committed to sharing their lives with them for an extended period of time, if not a lifetime.

You can learn more about the Safe Families Plus program this Wednesday, June 19th at Willow Creek Community Church/So. Barrington. We will have a community time starting at 7pm and a programed time from 7:30 - 8:30 pm. Room B200 near the chapel.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Waiting Child/Special Needs Adoptions from China

If you are considering adoption, I encourage you to check out the Waiting Child program from China.  We've been blessed to adopt our youngest daughter through this program, and know many others who have done the same.  Also, check out the video below that features the McMillan family, members of our adoption community at Willow Creek.

 

 

 

 

Consider Adoption

Has someone in your life recently considered adoption? If so, you should know more about the "China Waiting Child Adoption Program" at Sunny Ridge Family Center. Sunny Ridge has the privilege of finding families for children with special medical needs. See more in this video.

The Term "Special Needs"

Most people believe that when they adopt a child with "special needs" they will have no control over the types of medical issues a child may have. The truth is, families decide the types of "special needs" they are comfortable in handling. Also, in the case of this program, the term "special needs" is used to define a wide variety of of medical needs, including very minor, correctable medical needs to more involved needs. Some children are available for adoption through the program simply because of their age! Children range in age from one year of age to 13 years old, with healthy children over the age of eight also available. Both boys and girls are in need of a family.

Why Are Children Available?

Children are in need of a family for a variety of reasons. Some are available because of the social stigma of having a physical disability and the lack of affordable health care treatments. Often more boys are available in the China Waiting Child Adoption Program due to China’s belief that more families would want to adopt boys, leading to more boys being made available. However, adoptive families in the United States tend to have a preference for girls. This means that little boys in this program can often wait twice as long for a family.

Want To Learn More?

Just starting out? Or do you need to forward this to a friend who may be considering adoption? Many questions can be answered immediately on the Sunny Ridge website. You can also learn more about our China Waiting Child Adoption Program at one of their free Adoption Information Meetings held at Sunny Ridge Family Center in Bolingbrook. If you have questions or would like more information about this program, contact:

Jessica Augsburger, MSW/LCSW
China Waiting Child Program Coordinator
270 Remington Boulevard, Suite C
Bolingbrook, Illinois USA 60440
Direct: (630) 754-4532

New Book: 10 Things You Need to Know About Older Child Adoption

Mother-Daughter Team Advocates with Fasten Your Sweet Belt: 10 Things You Need to Know About Older Child Adoption

Raleigh, NC: What happened when an ordinary couple welcomed three siblings ages 7, 12 and 14 from Uganda into their North Carolina home? Life became full of trials and miraculous triumphs, and the author soon discovered that while there were many resources for infant adoption, she could find no practical tools to help her with the challenge of parenting her older adopted children.

“There are books discussing psychological issues in older adoptees, but I needed practical, every day advice about how to cleave these children into our family,” says Jodi Jackson Tucker, the author.

Inspired by her adoptive daughter’s insights about her experience, Tucker decided to collaborate with her to pen a book on older child adoption. “We want to help other kids and families on this journey,” Tucker said.

Using humor and no nonsense advice, the book chronicles ten important lessons the author has learned about parenting older adoptive children, and concludes with a sweet memoir by her daughter, Agnes, 15, complete with advice for others like her.

Today, Jodi and Agnes Tucker are speaking at conferences about their experiences to encourage older orphan adoption and to ease children’s acclimation into life with a family. Their book, published by Outskirts Press for $13.95, is available at amazon.com and barnesandnobles.com.

What people are saying about Fasten Your Sweet Belt:

"Jodi Jackson Tucker is wise and winsome, as vivacious as she is insightful. This book reflects all of that and more from a woman and her daughter who know intimately both the challenges and the beauty of adoption." - Jedd Medefind, President, Christian Alliance for Orphans


"If you are an adoptive or prospective adoptive parent looking for a book that will help you navigate the waters of an older child adoption, Fasten Your Sweet Belt should be your go-to book. Jodi Jackson Tucker and her daughter Agnes have provided an insightful and compelling look at the journey that adoption is. Read it more than once."


- Dan Cruver, Director, Together for Adoption




“I devoured your incredible book. I laughed and sobbed as I read your amazing, touching story. And then just when I caught my breath, I read your daughter’s portion. What a treasure she is. Her willingness to share her gifts with the world is simply remarkable.”


- Sandy Crane, adoption social worker


“You had insight that I haven't found in other books. Going into adoption is a scary process and we never know what will happen. You kept that fact real and also showed what a gift these children have been, making all the struggles worth it! I loved Agnes' point of view, she wrote very well and was so honest.”


– Mary K, contemplating adoption "This is what I'm thankful for today: this book on older child adoption. I opened it to see the dedication page. Then I thought I'd just glance at the introduction. Well 1 hour, 143 pages and half a box of tissues later - this book was 'church' for me today. The Tucker family is such a blessing!!!!!"


– Jennifer B, grandmother


“I just read Fasten your Sweet Belt. It was a wonderful book! I highly recommend it to anyone considering older child adoption or those who have already welcomed a non-baby into the house! - Michelle Caldwell, adoptive parent From Amazon.com Reader Reviews: This book is a MUST READ for anyone considering older child adoption, those who are in the process, and those who have already brought their children home. I found this book to be full of wisdom and encouragement. What makes this book different from the more "clinical" adoption books is that it is written by a mother who is still in the trenches. The real life examples make it easy to relate the book to what is happening in your home. Jodi's honesty about those things she wished she had done differently leaves room for me to feel like I am not the only adoptive mom who isn't perfect! I find that very encouraging. Even though our oldest adopted son came home over two years ago and our newest addition has been home 7 months, this book is still very applicable. I found a lot of information to help me better understand my adopted teen, in particular.

Available at www.amazon.com, http://www.barnesandnoble.com/

http://www.fastenyoursweetbelt.com/

Great Story & Video from Little Rock

The following, is taken from the Christian Alliance for Orphans blog.  Get you kleenex before viewing the video.   It drives home the fact that belonging to a family is a beautiful thing.

December 22nd, 2011 | by Jedd Medefind |

“Defending the fatherless” takes on countless forms as Christians act in response to God’s call. Barbara Rainey recently shared with me the news story of a young couple from Little Rock who made a remarkable decision in this regard, giving the gift of family to a teen girl not much younger than they are.  TV station KTHV tells the remarkable story HERE. 

Although the news report doesn’t mention it explicitly, it in inescapably clear from the home video that this incredible moment springs up from hearts that love Jesus Christ.  You can also watch a home-made video of the “big moment” below.  This video is of such an intimate moment that it almost takes your breath away; you feel almost embarrassed to watch.  Yet ultimately, you know you’ve been invited in on a moment that the girl and the couple…and those who get to watch it…will never forget:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iexJtB57bkY

Five-year Research Proves Wendy's Wonderful Kids Works

Research released this week will forever change how The Dave Thomas Foundation does business: as a Foundation, as partners with Wendy’s and as the organization overseeing agencies charged with finding adoptive parents for children who wait.

They have learned, after five years of rigorous, evidence-based evaluation and research that the child-focused recruitment model works. That model is Wendy’s Wonderful Kids.

Here are some of the top line results:

- Children in foster care served by the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruitment program are 1.7 times more likely to be adopted than those not served by WWK.

- The impact of WWK’s child-focused recruitment model is greatest among children who are older or those who have mental health disorders in fact, three times more likely for both populations.

- These findings upend the belief that some children are “unadoptable.” In fact, with more focus on evidence-based innovative strategies like WWK, rather than a reliance on traditional services, there is hope for every child in foster care.

Please take a moment to visit their website at http://www.davethomasfoundation.org/ and view the video created specifically for this momentous announcement and for a deeper understanding, please read the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids National Release Executive Summary.  Below are the links for each of them.


(Don't forget to mute the blog music on the bottom of this page before viewing the following video.  You can also view it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=aLP3pAfCHgo)



http://www.davethomasfoundation.org/executive-summary/