MN Adopt is offering a training on August 6, 2012 on Working with the Mind-Body Connection: Understanding Stress and Trauma in Adopted and Foster Youth. The training will be presented by Lora Matz, LICSW. From the description: Increased levels of anxiety, depression and hopelessness are being seen in children from all socio-economic conditions, cultures and [...]
An Ottawa man's children have been removed from his custody and will be placed for adoption because of the father's weight. According to the CBC News report, a parent's obesity can be a factor to determine a person's "fitness" to parent. Despite a 180 lb. weight loss, according to the unnamed father he is still [...]
The San Francisco Giants will partner with the Mixed Roots Foundation to create a PSA to raise awareness about adoption. The PSA will premiere next Tuesday, July 24th, which has been designated as "Adoptee Night," during the Giants game against the San Diego Padres. Guests will include filmmaker and director George Lucas, an adoptive parent, [...]
On Monday, we highlighted some of the changes to the foster care statutes that were passed in the 2012 legislative session in Minnesota. This post will continue the focus on the foster care changes that were made. Many of the changes impact relatives. Changes to the law regarding relative search include: The court may now [...]
Significant changes were made to the foster care statutes in the last legislative session. This post will summarize part of the new legislation changes, and more will come in a future post. Several definitions were amended: "Child" was amended to include references to other statutes allowing youth to remain in foster care to age 21."Sibling" [...]
Full Disclosure: I have been asked to appear on MPR to discuss international adoption, in part as a response to criticism that the discussion on Monday was not inclusive enough of adoptee perspectives. This post was written earlier this week and scheduled to publish yesterday. More information will be provided about the show and where [...]
One of the long-held myths about adoption has been that children become confused about the concept of having more than one set of parents. This became one of the rationales used to amend birth certificates identifying adoptive parents as birth parents once an adoption finalization has occurred in the United States, and to justify closed [...]
MN ADOPT is hosting a webinar on July 25, 2012 on Helping Children with Sexualized Behaviors: What Parents and Professionals Need to Know with Jane Seymour, MSW, LGSW. From the training desciption: This webinar will review the common myths and facts about children who are exhibiting sexualized behaviors. Participants will learn about the characteristics of [...]