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 National Adoption Center 

The National Adoption Center is a non-profit organization based in Philadelphia, PA. It is dedicated to promoting adoption awareness and its main focus is to help children who are considered “difficult to place”. This organization is not an adoption agency; it does not carry out the entire process of adoption. Its work consists on matching prospective parent with possible adoptees by promoting adoption and by making public specific cases of children who are currently in foster care. Its main goal is to find permanent caring homes for "difficult to place" children.

History
The story of the National Adoption Center is the story of hope...the hope that somewhere there are families who would consider adopting children whose parents could not care for them.

The story began in the early 1970's when Paddy Noyes, an adoptive mother of a little girl, then considered "hard-to-place" because of her East Indian heritage, and Carolyn Johnson, who had adopted three children, wondered whether there were other families who would be interested in adopting children who were not the healthy infants one often assciates with the idea od adoption. Would someone be willing to give a home to a child with Down syndrome or cerebral palsy? Would someone adopt a family of children--three or four brothers or sisters who wanted to stay together?

Paddy convinced a Philadelphia newspaper to run stories of waiting children up for adoption, and there was a startlingly large response. Carolyn went on to work at her kitchen table from a wooden recipe box with sections for "waiting children," "prospective parents," and possible "matches."

This "home-grown" program originated in the geographical area that covered southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, later expanded to include several adjoining states, and eventually became a model for the country. It demonstrated that once families knew about the "waiting children", they came forth to adopt them.

In 1982, the Center was selected by the federal government's Department of Health and Human Services to operate a national program to find families for children around the country whose parents could not care for them.

The Center developed a national public awareness and recruitment campaign, the centerpiece of which became its national website, FACES of Adoption: America's Waiting Children, which featured photographs and descriptions of thousands of children waiting to be adopted. In late July 2002, the FACES site was absorbed into a new, national website, AdoptUSKids, an initiative of the Children's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The site was developed and launched by the National Adoption Center.

Since 1972 when the Center started, it has found families for more than 25,000 children up for adoption. Ken Mullner is its Executive Director.

Core Values
Our inspiration comes from the belief that " there are no unwanted children, just unfound families" ™. From that perspective we provide the following free adoptive services: Public Awareness and Recruitment, Information and Referral and Publications. The Adoption Center of Delaware Valley provides regional services such as match parties and LBGT adoption support. These efforts combine to locate and assist those "unfound families." find their "wanted children".

Policies
ANOTHER PLANNED PERMANENT LIVING ARRANGEMENT (APPLA) POLICY

The National Adoption Center believes that all children/youth in foster care deserve the opportunity for a permanent relationship with a family before aging out of the foster care system at the age of 18 or 21. After achieving safety, the Center urges that permanency must be the focus of child welfare agencies and professionals, to assure that children/youth can grow up in lasting relationships that offer love and stability, and that meet their psychological, social, emotional, educational, and physical health needs. Toward that end, child welfare agencies and professionals should exhaust every effort to find an adoptive family for all children/youth who do not have a permanent family resource, regardless of their age. The goal of Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (APPLA) should have limited use with the following taken into consideration when assigning this goal:
 * Rigorous procedures are in place for the approval of an APPLA goal and that APPLA cases are reviewed at regular intervals to determine if a different plan might be more appropriate.
 * Children/youth should receive professional counseling and age-appropriate information about adoption before being able to decide that adoption is not their choice for permanency.
 * APPLA should be considered a permanency goal only after all other options have been considered by more than one child-serving agency and/or professional involved with the child/youth. In addition:
 * All children/youth should participate, when possible and appropriate, when this goal is being considered.
 * A court has determined there are compelling case specific reasons that rule out all other permanency options i.e., reunification, legal guardianship, placement with a fit and willing relative and adoption.

SUBSIDIZED GUARDIANSHIP POLICY

The National Adoption Center believes that adoption is the best option for children whose birthparents cannot take care of them; however, it recognizes that in cases where adoption is not possible, legal guardianship is a viable alternative. Permanent legal guardians have full responsibility for the children in their care, making decisions about such issues as medical care, educational needs, out-of-state vacations and sleep-overs with friends without having to report to caseworkers and the courts.This results in a substantial savings of time and money. In those cases, where the guardian often a relative-- has agreed to provide a safe, loving home for a child, the Center believes that subsidies should be provided.Subsidized guardianship programs allow children to be free of the constraintsof foster care and live a life that more closely mirrors that of children being raised by their birth parents. Specifically the Center believes that foster children and youth placed in permanent legal guardianships should: Be entitled to federal Title-IV E reimbursement and receive at least the same level of support and benefits as do children in foster family care and in adoptive families.Have their guardianship benefits adjusted as their needs and age change Maintain their eligibility for future adoption assistance benefits should there come a time that adoption becomes the preferred permanency option.

MATCH PARTY POLICY

The National Adoption Center believes that match parties are one of the most effective methods of finding families for waiting children. The face-to-face interaction of families and children often breaks down the preconceived beliefs families may have about adopting children from foster care. However, because the children attending match parties are vulnerable, providing an enjoyable, safe experience for them must also be a priority. To achieve this goal, the Center believes the following components are necessary: This includes taking into account the ages and amount of time in foster care of the child/youth. Groups of teens have been- successfully engaged in helping to plan events that reflect their interests and empower them in the matching experience. It is essential that advocates for the children and families follow up on potential matches resulting from the event. This will make the most of the opportunities generated by the match party for finding adoptive homes for children.
 * preparation and selection of children who would be comfortable at the event.
 * preparation and education of families prior to and during the event
 * preparation and education of social workers prior to the event

ADOPTION ASSISTANCE

Adoption assistance provides families willing and committed to adopt a child with special needs with the financial means to do so. The National Adoption Center believes that all children with special needs should be eligible for adoption assistance regardless of the income of their birthparents or previous adoptive parents. Additionally, the Center believes that a family must be able to obtain adoption assistance even when a child's special needs have not been determined before the adoption is finalized, but develop later. In addition, children and youth adopted from foster care should be eligible for at least the same level of support and benefits (including any therapeutic or specialized rates) they would have received in family foster care. Adoption assistance agreements should clearly state that they will remain active at least until a youth is 18. For youth with mental, physical, or behavioral special needs or other special circumstances, adoption assistance should be extended with state, federal or other funding until a youth reaches his or her 21st birthday. Finally, the National Adoption Center advocates that adoption assistance agreements be reviewed and adjusted over time to realistically reflect and meet the child's needs.

RACE AND ADOPTION

The National Adoption Center believes that every child should have a permanent and loving family. The longer a child remains without a parent (s), the more damaging it is to his or her identity, self-esteem and chances of growing into productive adulthood. It is our goal to find a loving home for each child as quickly as possible. The Center does not discriminate because of race or ethnicity when considering adoption opportunities for children. In compliance with the Multi-Ethnic Placement Act, effective October 1995, the Center does not delay or deny to any person the opportunity to become an adoptive parent solely on the basis of their race, color or national origin. The Center actively engages in the recruitment of families of color that fit the diverse culture of waiting children. If a transracial placement occurs, agencies should be required to provide additional support to preserve children's racial and cultural connections.

SIBLING ADOPTION

The National Adoption Center believes that siblings play an important role in the healthy development of children. Sibling relationships influence a child's ability to develop basic skills and promote socialization. Because of the unique lifelong nature of the sibling relationship and the pain experienced by children deprived of their siblings, the National Adoption Center actively recruits families for small and large sibling groups and encourages agencies which seek to separate siblings to consider other alternatives. In cases when siblings must be separated because it is in their best interests, Center staff encourages families to maintain significant, ongoing contact among the children involved. Finally, we advocate strongly for sibling placements and speak out when inappropriate separations are planned.

CHILD DESCRIPTIONS POLICY

The National Adoption Center believes that a well-written child description is critical in finding a permanent family for a waiting child or sibling group. Its purpose is to "introduce" the child to potential adopters. Therefore, it is the policy of the National Adoption Center that a description of a waiting child should always: In addition, the Center believes it is important to consider that a child description is intended for the general public and is not intended to replace an in-depth presentation about the child to a selected, potential adoptive family.
 * be accurate, personalized, balanced and respectful of the child's privacy;
 * be written in an interesting, concise and grammatically correct manner;
 * highlight the uniqueness and individuality of the child;
 * be written with the participation of the children, when they are interested and developmentally able to contribute, so that he or she is comfortable with his or her portrayal.

ADOPTIVE PARENT HOMESTUDIES

The National Adoption Center believes that families who are interested in adopting U.S. waiting children are a valuable resource. When all agencies from across the country share access to their approved families, everyone benefits -- the waiting children, the families and agencies. The Center believes that a family is entitled to receive a copy of its completed homestudy promptly. Further, an agency must release an approved homestudy either to the family or to another agency that requests it. While individual states may have a standard for how long a homestudy is valid, the National Adoption Center recommends a homestudy should be considered valid in any jurisdiction for a minimum of one year.

ADOPTION BENEFITS

The National Adoption Center believes that employers should address the needs of all employees who are building a family, whether through birth or adoption, by offering an equitable benefits policy. The costs of adopting, as well as the need for bonding and adjustment with a new child, parallel the experience of those who give birth. In addition, completing an adoption is often time-consuming and emotionally taxing, and can impinge on work time and productivity. Our recommended best practice for an adoption benefits policy contains the following components: This policy has been developed as a means of communicating a "best practices" model and will be available to the media and to employers requesting information about the establishment of an adoption benefits plan.
 * Financial reimbursement to cover these and other reasonable costs: agency or homestudy fees; medical expenses of the child and/or birthmother; temporary foster care fees; legal fees; transportation costs; immigration fees in the case of international adoption.
 * Leave policies comparable to those offered to birthparents, to include paid leave in addition to sick, vacation and personal leave time.
 * Adoption Resource and Referral Services, including consultation and written information that will save an employee work time in completing the adoption process.

ADOPTIVE PARENT ASSESSMENTS

We believe that every child has the right to a loving, nurturing and permanent family. Therefore, it is the policy of the National Adoption Center that no person should be denied consideration in the adoption process solely based on marital status, sexual orientation, lifestyle, disability, physical appearance, race, gender, age, religion and/or size of family.

POST ADOPTION

The National Adoption Center believes that society benefits from intact families, including those created through adoption. While all families experience stress, families who have adopted, particularly those who have adopted children with known special needs, often have additional issues for which they need help. Services that address these needs may include, but not be limited to: The National Adoption Center believes that the availability and accessibility of post-adoption services are vital to adoptive family preservation and advocates that all adoptive families be informed of post-adoption services. The Center further believes that states and adoption agencies should be required to develop and provide post-placement support services to families. To that end, all efforts should be made to ensure that existing funding streams are utilized by states to the fullest extent possible and, if necessary, that funding be increased in order to help meet the need.
 * Information and Referral
 * Parent Support Groups
 * Therapeutic Support
 * Case Management
 * Crisis Intervention
 * Search/Reunion Assistance Community and Internet-based Education and Support
 * In-home Services for Children, Commonly Known as "Wraparound Services"
 * Respite Care
 * Residential Placement

ADOPTION AND GEOGRAPHY

For many children, an adoptive home cannot be located in their own county or state, and recruitment efforts must include a nationwide search for a permanent family. The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 recognizes the importance of going beyond geographic boundaries to place a child and prohibits denying or delaying a child's adoptive placement when an approved family is available outside of the child's jurisdiction. The National Adoption Center supports this law and will actively advocate for all public and private agencies to comply with the act. It is the policy of the National Adoption Center that no individual or family should be denied the right to adopt a child because they do not reside within the jurisdiction of the child.

OPEN RECORDS

The National Adoption Center believes that it is an inalienable right of all citizens, including adopted adults, to have unencumbered access to their original birth certificates. In keeping with this position, we believe that copies of both the original and the amended birth certificate should be given to the adoptive family at the time of finalization unless specifically denied by the birthparents. In any case, the National Adoption Center advocates that the adoptee, at age 18, be granted access to his/her original birth certificate. The National Adoption Center also supports an adult adoptee's unencumbered access to all medical and historical records.* These records should be given to adopting families prior to finalization. ADOPTION BY MEMBERS OF THE LGBT COMMUNITY All prospective foster and adoptive parents should be given fair and equal consideration to provide foster care and to adopt a child who needs a permanent loving home. The National Adoption Center opposes any federal or state legislation as well as foster care and adoption agency policies that restrict or dismiss the consideration of current or prospective foster and adoptive parents based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
 * Historical records refer to that information acquired about the child before coming into his/her final adoption placement. Such information includes, but is not limited to, foster care placements, childhood photos, information about siblings, number of moves before adoption, reason for entering foster care, details of school history and related school documents and any early history of development which may includes pertinent medical records.

ADOPTION AND THE SCHOOLS

The National Adoption Center believes that school culture is a microcosm of the community and therefore schools have the opportunity to recognize the diverse configuration of families, including families formed through adoption, by ensuring that family diversity is reflected in their curriculum and educational materials. Furthermore, it is important that educators recognize that there may be added developmental challenges, both academic and emotional, that affect children who are adopted and that adoption affects families over generations. Specifically, the Center recommends that schools:
 * Review and refine, if necessary, curriculum that deals with family trees,genetic history and other topics where adoption may be an issue.
 * Communicate with adoptive families about sensitive assignments on family history in advance of the lesson in order to allow the family to prepare the child who is adopted as well as communicate any special considerations to the school.
 * Establish policies that ensure that the confidentiality of shared information about a child's history is respected.
 * Make adoption literature available in school libraries.
 * Collaborate with adoptive families and draw upon their expertise as resources, particularly in November, which is National Adoption Month.
 * Ensure that all school personnel, including teachers, guidance counselors, school psychologists, administrators and support staff receive education and awareness materials about adoption issues, including the use of positive adoption language and sensitivity to emerging issues at different developmental stages.
 * Assign one of the school's professionals to the role of adoption coordinator/resource manager. Finally, the National Adoption Center believes that increasing adoption sensitivity and education in the schools will create a more positive learning environment for all students and their teachers.

USE OF ADOPTIVE EXCHANGES

The National Adoption Center believes that all U.S. children available to be adopted and needing a new placement should be visible to social workers and families from around the country. The Adoption and Safe Families Act, passed in November of 1997, supports this belief. It states that "case plans for children must document the steps an agency is taking to find a permanent family for a child, including child specific recruitment efforts such as the use of state, regional and national exchanges, including electronic exchange systems." In order to carry out this mandate, the Center believes, therefore, that all waiting U.S. children should be listed on all appropriate state, regional and national exchanges. In addition, families who have been approved to adopt by a licensed agency should be involved actively in searching for a child that would be a suitable "match" for them and also should be registered on all appropriate state, regional and national exchanges.

Awards and Recognitions

 * Computerworld, Smithsonian Award


 * Crystal Award Better Business Bureau of Eastern Pennsylvania


 * 11th Annual Better Business Award, Best Community Service - Nonprofit


 * The Independent Charities Seal of Excellence is awarded to the members of Independent Charities of America and Local Independent Charities of America that have, upon rigorous independent review, been able to certify, document, and demonstrate on an annual basis that they meet the highest standards of public accountability, program effectiveness, and cost effectiveness. These standards include those required by the US Government for inclusion in the Combined Federal Campaign, probably the most exclusive fund drive in the world. Of the 1,000,000 charities operating in the United States today, it is estimated that fewer than 50,000, or 5 percent, meet or exceed these standards, and, of those, fewer than 2,000 have been awarded this Seal.