Patrick-Murray Administration Celebrates 10th Annual Adoption Day with the Adoption of 95 Children from Foster Care
WORCESTER — Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray and Department of Children and Families Commissioner Angelo McClain today joined the Massachusetts Trial Court’s Juvenile Court Department, Probate and Family Court Department and the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) to finalize the adoptions of 95 children from foster care, as part of the 10th annual statewide celebration of National Adoption Day. The adoptions of 41 children were finalized today at the Worcester Trial Court, the featured site for the state celebration.
A total of 95 youth were adopted today, ranging in age from infancy to 16 years old, into 67 families from across the state. Courthouses in Boston, Brockton, Salem and Springfield also participated in today’s celebration.
“Today is a special day for all of the children and parents throughout the Commonwealth who will be starting a new journey together as a family,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. “National Adoption Day serves as an opportunity for us to celebrate adoption while also raising awareness about the need for more families to get involved and help provide safe and loving homes for children in foster care.”
“The Department of Children and Families’ unwavering commitment to our children in foster care has ensured that these children and youth will find loving permanent families,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. JudyAnn Bigby. “Today we not only celebrate the adoption of children in foster care, we also remind all Commonwealth residents that there are many more children and youth in need of adoptive families.”
For children in foster care, National Adoption Day signifies hope. Currently, there are 600 children and youth waiting and hoping to find loving, permanent homes in Massachusetts. Children in the care of the Department of Children and Families (DCF) who are currently awaiting adoption vary in age and come from diverse ethnic, linguistic, and economic backgrounds. Likewise, adoptive families come from diverse backgrounds. Adoptive parents do not have to be married, wealthy, or have a specific education or background.
“When a child in foster care becomes part of a loving and permanent family it is a remarkable experience and a wonderful day for the child as well as the family,” said Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families’ Angelo McClain. “National Adoption Day puts a spotlight on the many children in foster care waiting to be adopted and celebrates the adoptions that take place every day throughout the Commonwealth and the country. We hope that this event inspires others to reach out and find out more about how they can change the life of a child as well as their own.”
Today adoptions were finalized in four Courthouses across the Commonwealth:
- Boston - Edward W. Brooke Courthouse
19 children, 14 families - Brockton - George N. Covett Courthouse
23 children, 17 families - Salem - Essex County Juvenile Court
12 children, 7 families - Worcester - Worcester Trial Court
41 children, 29 families
"National Adoption Day is the best day," said Lisa Funaro, executive director of the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange. "We're so thankful to see 95 more children leave temporary foster care for their own "forever families" — and just in time for Thanksgiving."
The Commonwealth has a proud history in promoting awareness around the need for adoptive families. In 1976, Massachusetts was the first state to declare Adoption Week. After growing in popularity, President Reagan proclaimed the first-ever National Adoption Week in 1984. Eleven years later, in 1995, President Clinton expanded it to the entire month of November. National Adoption Day is now a national effort to raise awareness of the 114,000 children in foster care waiting to find permanent, loving families.
For more information about adopting through the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, please call 1-800-KIDS-508 or visit www.mass.gov/dcf.
About the Department of Children and Families
The Department of Children and Families is charged with protecting children from abuse and neglect and strengthening families. There are currently 8,000 children in foster care across Massachusetts and 40,095 children in all served by the Department. With the understanding that every child is entitled to a home that is free from abuse and neglect, DCF’s vision is to ensure the safety of children in a manner that holds the best hope of nurturing a sustained, resilient network of relationships to support the child’s growth and development into adulthood. DCF programs include foster care, adoption, adolescent services and domestic violence services.
About the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange
MARE is a private, non-profit organization, working since 1957 to find a “permanent place to call home” for children in foster care, including sibling groups and children who are traditionally harder to place. This is done through recruiting, educating, supporting and advocating for families throughout the adoption process.
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