Adoptions

Program Overview

• We provide visibility for the children waiting in foster care for permanent adoptive homes.
• We assist families who are seeking to adopt both nationally and internationally.
• We help prepare foster children for the transition to a permanent family.
• We support our families over the lifespan of the adoption.
• We educate the community on the many issues related to adoption and thereby, increase the support network for our families and their children.

Program Description

Upper Bay's Adoption Program focuses on placing sibling groups and special needs children who are waiting for permanent homes. The term ‘special needs’ has many meanings, encompassing children who are African-American, Latino, or bi-racial, often between the ages of eight and eighteen with physical, emotional, and/or mental challenges. Infants with ‘special needs’ may have significant medical needs. Often, these children are part of a sibling group and should be placed together.

Our program is grounded in a strength-based family self-assessment model. This means that our adoption workers support prospective families in assessing their fit between their strengths and the needs of particular children. We place with a wide range of families including many non-traditional families. We strongly believe that preparation and support are critical factors in insuring the permanency of adoptive placements.
We begin with a specialized interactive family preparation course. this twenty four hour course is geared to the special challenges of parenting children with various special needs. Next we work with a family to complete an Adoptive Family Profile. then we assist families in the search for a child (or sibling group). After the child is placed with the family, we conduct monthly home visits. We prepare the necessary court reports for the finalization of the adoption.

Our program offers specialized adoption counseling which is open to the community. This service can help children prepare for the transition to a new family or provide assistance to families who have already adopted. This specialized approach to counseling is sensitive to issues of adoption, trauma, and attachment. Our adoption workers and therapists often work collaboratively to provide support to adoptive families. Most importantly, we remain available to our families over the lifetime of the adoption.

Currently, the Upper Bay Adoption Program provides services to only Delaware families due to licensing restrictions. However, we hope to extend our services to Maryland families in the future. Keep checking for an update.

Services Offered

• Specialized training for foster parents who are adopting their foster children
• Specialized parenting education classes and support groups
• Counseling groups for foster children
• Summer Therapeutic Activity Programs for children
• Training and consultation for child welfare and mental health agencies and parent organizations

Contact Us

Resources

• Adoptive Families with Information and Support (AFIS) (Delaware Families): (302) 239-6232
• www.adoptuskids.org
• www.attach.org