National Adoption Day photos reflect smiling faces, happy moms and dads, and lots of hugs. The Indiana Supreme Court in 2012 first authorized broadcast coverage of adoption proceedings in celebration of this special day. Since then, over 500 children have found their “forever families” in 23 Indiana counties on this special day.
Participating judges celebrate the day to increase public awareness on the value of adoption. The counties participating in 2016 included Allen, Bartholomew, Clark, Delaware, Elkhart, Grant, Hamilton, Hendricks, Jennings, Johnson, LaGrange, Lake, Marion, Spencer, Tippecanoe, and Vanderburgh.
Allen County courts have participated since the beginning and last year reached beyond their courtrooms by highlighting a music video that featured an original song composed for National Adoption Day. Nancy Springer, Director of Great Kids make Great Communities, produced the video. It was funded in part by the Foellinger Foundation and a Court Improvement Grant from the Indiana Supreme Court.
Allen County Superior Court Judge Charles Pratt reflected: “The adopted children range in age from toddlers to young teens. They represent kids who were placed for adoption at birth and those whose parents have lost their parental rights. The adopting parties include foster parents who have developed a bond and step-parents who want to bring the child into their family. Each child’s story is unique and filled with new opportunities for both the child and parents.”
Several counties coordinated party-planning aspects of the day through The Children’s Bureau, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and the Department of Child Services (DCS). Many children left the courtroom not only with a family but also with gifts including homemade blankets, books, balloons, and flowers.
Each year there are about 3,600 adoptions in Indiana. Since the inception of National Adoption Day in 2000, nearly 58,500 children have been moved from foster care to a forever family according to nationaladoptionday.com.