Children's Bureau Express

Help Celebrate National Adoption Month

November is National Adoption Month. We celebrate Adoption Month to raise awareness about adoption, adoptive families, and children who need adoptive homes. According to the most recent Adoption and Foster Care Analysis Reporting System (AFCARS) data (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/systems/index.htm#afcars), 556,000 children were in foster care on September 30, 2000, and 20 percent (110,536) of them had the permanency goal of adoption.

A host of activities will occur to commemorate National Adoption Month. One such activity is the launch of the National Adoption Month website (http://www.childwelfare.gov/adoption/nam/), which features resources for professionals and parents, a calendar of activities, and valuable links to other adoption-related websites and resources.

Another commemoration activity is the announcement of the winners of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Adoption Excellence Awards for 2002. When the names of the awardees are released, they will be posted on the Children's Bureau website.

Celebrate National Adoption Month by doing your part to help shorten the length of time children in foster care wait for families. Be sure to visit the National Adoption Month website to learn what you can do to help.

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