Nicholas Largo, Program Manager of Foster Care and Adoption, reflects on overcoming barriers to adopt during the pandemic.
November is National Adoption Month. It is a month when we recognize the need for forever homes for children in foster care, a month when we take time to thank and celebrate all of our adoptive families who have opened their hearts and their homes to children in need of love, safety, and permanency. November is a month when we recognize and appreciate the immense amount of critical work, time, and patience that goes into completing an adoption.
This year has brought a variety of challenges, many of which adoptive families could not have anticipated. Together, we had to adapt to various adversities to maintain some sense of normalcy. This is especially true with our adoptive families, children in care, and adoption workers. Adoptive families have not only maintained a safe, loving environment for our children in care; but, they have taken on the role of an educator in their home, as virtual learning has become the new normal. Adoptive families had to persevere through difficult situations with the impact of COVID-19 on the family court system. Additionally, adoptive families remain patient and unwavering, in the face of much uncertainty. Despite these factors and many more, our adoptive families continue to display resiliency, passion, and strength during these unprecedented times.
While adversity may have attempted to slow down the number of adoptions that occurred earlier in the year, the need for a child to find their forever home has not changed. Adoptions are happening thanks to technology. Technology has given us the ability to support this ongoing need, while our adoptive families have overcome the challenges to help children find their forever homes.
Respectfully,
Nicholas Largo,
Program Manager of Foster Care and Adoption