National Adoption Month brings awareness to children in need

National Adoption Month brings awareness to children in need

From State Representative Milton Nicks Currently, there are 375 children in Arkansas waiting to find a permanent family. November is National Adoption Month, an initiative designed to bring attention to the need for permanent families for children in the foster care system.

For a child, there is nothing more important than having a parent to protect, love, and care for them. We know there are families in Arkansas capable of providing the stability, safety, and commitment they deserve.

Several of our members know firsthand the joys adoption can bring. Six representatives currently serving in the Arkansas House have adopted children.

To successfully adopt a child, who is registered on the Department of Human Services, a parent must have the ability to:

•make a commitment

•deal with rejections

•provide stability

•laugh

•provide safety

•accept differences

•set realistic expectations

•look at progress in small steps

•handle stress and change

•learn new parenting skills

•reach out for help/support

•advocate for the child Qualified adoptive homes are needed for children of all nationalities, sibling groups and children with special needs to include children with emotional, mental or medical needs.

Many of the children currently available for adoption were removed from their birth family or legal parent due to neglect, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse.

An adoption cannot take place unless the birth parent or legal parent’s rights have been terminated by the court. The adoption process can take up to 6 months to complete. It includes a home study and background check.

Financial assistance may be available in form of monthly support for the child, one-time reimbursement for expenses related to initial adoption expenses, and a federal tax credit for the year in which the adoption takes place.

We invite you to visit www.projectzero.org which features a collection of beautiful photographs of waiting children and teens, taken by professional photographers from every corner of our state.

Adopting one child may not change the world. But for that one child, the world will change.

If you are interested in adoption or would like more information visit www.humanservices.arkansas.gov.