Thursday, October 1, 2009

You are the champions....

As you might know, this summer Iowa KidsNet named eight “Adoption Champions” across the state to help us get the word out about our free post-adoption support services.

These families can relate to the challenges adoptive parents face because they've been in those shoes - each one is an adoptive family. In short, they’ll be helping plan support networks in their area and spreading the word about the adoption support services available to families.

With their help, some amazing things are already happening! For example, in August, the Ames service area held a weekend retreat for families with DHS subsidized adoptions. We had a great turnout – over 100 adults and kids from central Iowa.

Adoptive parents got to meet and discuss some of the common struggles they share and learn new tips through training. For the kids, we had a character counts program with Silly Sally, a challenge course and a special program by Elevate. Lots of new friendships were made!

Our goal with post-adoption support is to help you keep your family safe and stable. If you have a DHS subsidized adoption, you're eligible for free support services. A support specialist will work with your family to develop a support plan just for you, and he or she will be available to help you with any needs. That could mean anything from being a listening ear for you, or assisting during a crisis. If you want to find out more, call 1.800.243.0756.

Enjoy this rainy day, and thanks for caring!

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