Many of you know that Marcy and I are the proud parents of two children, Aidan and Deana, who we adopted from South Korea. They are the lights of our lives, and raising them is the most important, joyful, thing we will ever do.
Not surprisingly, Marcy and I spend a lot of time and energy sharing our story with others who are considering the possibility of creating or expanding their families through adoption. We always tell them that the first step on this journey is to gather all the information they can find. For those who are considering adopting or becoming a foster parent through the state of Connecticut, that task is becoming easier.
Recently, the state Department of Children and Families (DCF) launched a new website to provide information for those who are already foster and adoptive parents, and to recruit new families to care for children who need homes. Now, prospective foster and adoptive parents can find much of the initial information they need in one place at www.ctfosteradopt.com. Visitors to this website can even fill out an online form to request information and make comments and suggestions. Of course, those seeking information may still call the state Department of Children and Families at 1-888-KID-HERO (1-888-543-4376).
Among other things, the website features the Heart Gallery, a display of children and youth who are seeking homes and have agreed to be photographed. These pictures, taken by volunteer professional photographers, become part of a traveling exhibit that is displayed at theaters, museums, galleries, hospitals, malls, town halls and libraries across the state. It is the work of public and private partnerships, including the Connecticut Association of Foster and Adoptive Parents. Visitors to the Heart Gallery page on the new website can click on each photo to learn about each featured child how to obtain additional information from a contact in the DCF Office of Foster Care and Adoption Services.
The website also includes information about financial and other types of services available; policies and regulations; legal issues; support groups; and licensing and training. Furthermore, this website explains the Connecticut Search Law, which provides birth parents, birth relatives, adult adoptees, adults formerly in foster care, and adoptive parents with access to certain information contained in adoption files. The laws regarding adoption files are very specific, and this page includes a “frequently asked questions” section. One question answered in this section states that the Office of Foster Care and Adoption Services in DCF has a master database of all public and private adoptions that have occurred in Connecticut since 1944. For more information, call 860-550-6582.
I urge everyone considering becoming a foster or adoptive parent to consider pursuing this dream through the state Department of Children and Families. As I have said before, Marcy and I know firsthand that hearts do not know the difference between becoming a parent through birth or adoption.
I always welcome the opportunity to talk about the joys of becoming a parent through adoption. I can be reached at my legislative office in Hartford at 1-800-842-1421, or via e-mail to Rob.Kane@cga.ct.gov.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
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