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November 2019Vol. 20, No. 9Creating a Family Profile

Families who have already passed the homestudy process and are approved to adopt from foster care can use photolisting sites, like AdoptUSKids and other state-run sites, to showcase a profile of their family. These websites can be useful to foster care professionals who are looking for families and offer a great opportunity for families to provide a first impression. AdoptUSKids interviewed caseworkers across the nation for tips on how families can get the most out of these sites.

In a recent blog post, AdoptUSKids lays out the following nine tips, with examples, about what steps families can take to make their profile more informative and useful:

  • Give workers a sense of who you are by writing with personality.
  • Include a recent photo with all legal members of the family.
  • Describe where you find support.
  • Share what behavior and conditions you will and will not accept.
  • Talk about your experience with children—even if it is not as a parent.
  • Ensure all the information you share is current.
  • Include how you can work with the birth family to maintain a relationship.
  • Describe your family's lifestyle and interests as well as what adjustments could be made to fit the needs of a child.
  • Review your draft again to make sure it is error free.

Read the blog post, "Creating a Family Profile: Tips From Workers," at https://blog.adoptuskids.org/creating-a-family-profile-tips-from-workers/.