Adopted by Design

Upcoming Webinar from CASE

Next Thursday, June 9th, the Center for Adoption Support and Education (CASE) is holding a webinar titled, "Going the Extra Mile: Launching Adopted Teens with Special Needs" with the following description:

When you are parenting teens with complex mental health and emotional, social and/or learning challenges, the transition to adulthood/independence can often be compromised. It may take a lot longer than you ever expected, with many starts and stops along the way. A panel of experienced adoptive parents, moderated by C.A.S.E. CEO, Debbie Riley, will discuss what they have learned about effective parenting strategies, self-preservation coping skills and ways to access resources for support. Participants will have the opportunity to address their questions and concerns during this interactive presentation.

This webinar is free to the first 100 registrants, so act quickly! Please see CASE's website for more information and to register. 

Brothers and Sisters in Adoption Webinar

Adoption Learning Partners is hosting a webinar to discuss ways to help children navigate relationships when new kids join the family. Experts will share transition tips and strategies for welcoming a toddler or school-aged child home, focusing on preparing brothers and sisters prior to adoption and the first year after adoption. the experts will discuss:

• Transitioning new family members (sleeping, eating, culture)
• Preparing and integrating brothers and sisters
• Attachment and expectations
• How to make these strategies a part of a family’s everyday life

The webinar will take place on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 at 12:00 p.m. CT and families can register by visiting the website.

Live Simulcast of Summit VIII

For the first time, some sessions of Summit VIII are live streaming on the web. See this link for a schedule of the broadcasted events and take part in the learning and worship of this year's Summit. 

http://www.summitviii.org/SUMMIT-LIVE/ 

Pray for Summit

The Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit VIII is next weekend. We hope that those of you who are attending will stop and visit America World's booth in the exhibition hall and get to know us!

Friends, even if you are not able to attend the Summit, please be in prayer for this monumental event in orphan care. Jedd Medefind of CAFO provides these specific prayer applications:

• That God would prepare each person coming both to give and to receive much at Summit.
• That the countless details and the myriad volunteers, speakers, exhibitors, and attendees would all come together smoothly.
• That seeds sown and cultivated at Summit would bear much good fruit—for the fatherless, the Church and God’s glory for decades to come.

We echo these prayers and are excited to see what God will do through Summit VIII!

You are the helper of the fatherless. LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, That the man of the earth may oppress no more.

Psalms 10:14,17-18

Adoption Tax Credit Bill Introduced in the U.S. House

On April 17, 2012, Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA) introduced the Making Adoption Affordable Act. The act will permanently expand the federal adoption tax credit to $13,360, an increase of $1,000 over the current credit, and make it refundable.

The current adoption tax credit is set to expire at the end of 2012. Over the last several months, many of you expressed concerns about the impact the expiration of the credit will have on your family. Congressman Braley’s bill is the first step toward ensuring that the adoption tax credit continues to be an option to help families offset the high cost of adoption. More importantly, this legislation will promote the adoption of God’s children by loving families.

As people who are passionate about the ministry of adoption, it is up to us to make sure our Representatives support this life-saving legislation. Will you take action on behalf of orphaned and vulnerable children by contacting your member of Congress to urge them to vote “YES” on the Making Adoption Affordable Act?

You can find the contact information for your Representative by clicking HERE.

The full text of the Making Adoption Affordable Act can be found HERE.

We will provide updates on the progress of the bill as it makes its way through Congress.

 

Blessings,

Andrew C. Brown

Director of Corporate Governance 

Surviving Your Home Study

There is a great post over on the Love on a Mission blog written by Kim Eagle, an America World mother, called "Surviving Your Home Study." 

You may have be experiencing some of the same emotions Kim did in anticipation of your home study! Please read this and know that the home study process is not designed to be an intimidating or negative experience. You can also visit our State Pages to get an idea of what to expect in your state, and to read about your social worker.

The thought of an adoption Home Study can conjure up all kinds of emotions.  For some it is excitement about another phase of the adoption process, yet to some it brings up hesitancy and concern.  Will the Social Worker like our family?  Is my house clean enough?  Will they find some deep, dark secret about us?  Will we be approved?  Having lived through the Home Study process, our family can honestly say it was one of the more enjoyable and therapeutic phases of our three-year adoption process. 

We were initially in the camp of hesitancy and concern.  How was I going to make my home look like June and Ward Cleaver’s?  I thought it needed to look perfect, peaceful, and immaculate.  That was impossible.  At the time we were pursuing a China adoption and we had biological children ages 7, 9, 10, and 12 years.   We were told that we needed three home visits before the adoption and two after we brought our adopted child home.   How were we going to create perfection in our home five times?  I soon found out that my perception of the home study was wrong.

Before our initial visit with our Social Worker, I sat my four children down and explained that she would want to talk to them and get their perspective on adopting a brother or sister.  She may ask questions or get their opinion about our family.  At that time my three oldest children were somewhat quiet.  So I did what any “good” mother would do and told them I would give them a treat if they conversed with the Social Worker.  My plan worked beautifully for the older three.  However, I had not factored in the personality of my fourth child, who naturally was talkative.

Webinar: Identity and Adoption

Adoption Learning Partners is again holding a webinar you may be interested in. This webinar will feature a panel of adult adoptees that will give insight to adoptive parents on how to best support their children and give them a sense of self. 

To learn more and register, click here.

Correction: Adoption Tax Credit Phone Forum

Yesterday's post from the National Council for Adoption regarding a conference call on the IRS tax credit contained incorrect information and has been removed. The conference call is not available to adoptive families; however an America World staff member will participate and pass on information to families. We are sorry for this inconvenience. The NCFA's Adoption Tax Credit Advocacy Kit, link below, is still available as a resource for this important issue.

ACT NOW :: Download NCFA's Adoption Tax Credit Advocacy Kit

This new advocacy kit from NCFA will help you educate policymakers, members of the media, and others on the importance of extending the adoption tax credit to promote permanency for children. The advocacy kit contains a backgrounder on the adoption tax credit, a letter that can be used as a template to email or write to members of Congress, a talking points guide for phone calls with legislators’ offices, a sample newspaper opinion editorial or letter to the editor, and further ways to join NCFA in our advocacy for the adoption tax credit and other important policies. All resources in NCFA’s new Adoption Tax Credit Advocacy Kit can be downloaded from our website, www.adoptioncouncil.org. 

Free Family Event at Walters Art Museum

click to enlarge

Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit VIII - May 3-4

The Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit VIII is being held at Saddleback Church in Southern California on May 3rd and 4th. Each year, the Summit draws thousands of orphan advocates to share in a rich experience of education through breakout sessions and awareness through insightful and experienced speakers.

Whether you are a church leader, organizational worker, or an individual with a passion for the needs of orphans, you won't want to miss this event. Visit the Summit website and follow links to get more information and to register. If you have already attended a Summit, share your experiences on their Facebook page. If you "like" this page, you can save $1 off your registration! They also provide banners to add to your blog.

If you have the opportunity to attend this year, be sure to see the America World staff in our booth among the other exhibitors. We hope to see you there!