Matching an adoptive child with a potential family isn’t easy. There are factors to consider including 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 and beliefs. Children’s Bureau developed a “matching team” approach for placing adoptive children with families and has noticed a higher success rate of children staying with families.
“Each child or group of siblings (brothers and sisters) is assigned a team of Children’s Bureau professional staff to review their case and match that child’s temperament with a family’s temperament. For example, a child who has special needs (such as an infant born with drugs in their body) might be placed with a family that can handle the range of emotional and physical demands of that child,” said Cynthia Elliott, Children’s Bureau’s matching team coordinator.
A child and his or her prospective adoptive parents get to know each other over a gradual period of time, meeting two to four times before a decision is made to pursue adoption. Children’s Bureau has been using the matching approach for several years now and has completed over 1,000 successful adoptions.
“This process is working well for the children and families that we work with. It allows everyone involved time to get to know each other to ensure that this is the best match for them,” said Elliott. “At the present time, we are also searching for adoptive homes for African American children who are part of sibling sets of two or three children and also, for children who are older.”
Children’s Bureau is in need of foster and adoptive parents and offers monthly information meetings in Palmdale, Santa Clarita, Thousand Oaks, Ontario, North Hollywood, Carson, Santa Fe Springs and Los Angeles. Counties served include Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura. Children’s Bureau’s mission is to find good homes for children in need. Qualifying families receive training, financial assistance and 24-hour support to aid in the care of their foster or adoptive children.
To attend an information meeting, join us on January 22 at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church located at 27265 Luther Drive, Canyon Country from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. or visit Children’s Bureau’s website at www.all4kids.org. Founded in 1904, Children’s Bureau provides professional treatment and prevention services to more than 14,000 abused and neglected children and their families each year throughout Southern California.
For more information, please call 661-272-9996.