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Adoption Awareness Month - Community Engagement Toolkit

November is National Adoption Month, a time to recognize the urgent need and value of adoption in our community. Every child deserves a loving, stable, nurturing, permanent home. While reunification with their biological families is the primary goal for children in foster care, sometimes it’s not possible. Adoptive parents provide a home where these children and youth can have the normal experiences they need as they grow up. They nurture children who have experienced abuse and neglect, and help children overcome past traumatic experiences so that they can reach their full potential.

Help us raise awareness about the need for adoptive families, and join us in recognizing the profound impact adoptive parents make in shaping the lives of children in foster care.

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November is Adoption Awareness Month, a month set aside to raise awareness about the urgent need for adoptive families for children and youth in foster care.

Across the nation more than 64,000 children are legally free for adoption and nearly 1,200 foster children in the commonwealth of Virginia are waiting for adoptive families. Learn more about the wonderful children awaiting adoption in our region.

Unfortunately, youth leaving foster care without a permanent connection face challenges with employment, education, and mental health, as well as have an increased risk of homelessness and human trafficking.

Learn more about how to become a foster or adoptive parent and how the county supports adoptive families. Meet some of the children awaiting adoption in Fairfax.

During this month we also celebrate all the families who have opened their homes to children through adoption. In Fairfax County, 30 adoptions were finalized in the last year. Learn more about families formed through adoption.

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Connection and belonging are human needs. Nearly 1,200 children and youth in foster care in Virginia are awaiting adoption. Learn how you can become a foster or adoptive parent https://bit.ly/DFS-FCA or email BeAFosterParent@fairfaxcounty.gov. #NationalAdoptionMonth #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices

November is #NationalAdoptionMonth! Help us spread the word about the need for adoptive parents for children in foster care. https://bit.ly/37BZsuL #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices

Check out some Adoption Snapshots of adoptive families who are helping Fairfax County youth thrive as they grow up. https://bit.ly/34mElKI #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices #NationalAdoptionMonth

Thinking about becoming a foster parent? It’s better than you can imagine! Check out videos of Fairfax County foster and adoptive families sharing how the experience has shaped their lives for the better, and the positive impact they're making every day in children’s lives. https://bit.ly/DFS-CYF-FCA-YP. Learn more about Foster Care and Adoption https://bit.ly/DFS-FCA. #NationalAdoptionMonth #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices

Fairfax County’s greatest need is for loving homes for children in sibling groups, those 9 years and older, and children with special needs. Youth are never too old to be adopted. Meet some of the wonderful children awaiting adoption https://bit.ly/3mkIZPD. Email BeAFosterParent@fairfaxcounty.gov if you want to help. #NationalAdoptionMonth #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices

Youth leaving foster care without a permanent connection face challenges with employment, education, and mental health, as well as have an increased risk of homelessness and human trafficking. Learn how you can become a foster or adoptive parent https://bit.ly/DFS-FCA or email BeAFosterParent@fairfaxcounty.gov. #NationalAdoptionMonth #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices

Every child in Fairfax County, regardless of physical, medical, or emotional challenges, age, race, or sexual orientation, needs love, support, security, and a permanent place to call home. Learn how you can become a foster or adoptive parent https://bit.ly/DFS-FCA or email BeAFosterParent@fairfaxcounty.gov. #NationalAdoptionMonth #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices

Check out statistics about foster care and adoption in Fairfax County: https://bit.ly/2SaFcuz or email BeAFosterParent@fairfaxcounty.gov. #NationalAdoptionMonth #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices

A growing portion of adoptive families are also kinship families, raising the children of relatives or close family friends. This promotes children’s sense of belonging through connection to cultural heritage, family and community. Learn more https://bit.ly/DFS-FCA #NationalAdoptionMonth #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices

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November is #NationalAdoptionMonth! Help us spread the word about the need for adoptive parents for children in foster care https://bit.ly/DFS-FCA or email BeAFosterParent@fairfaxcounty.gov. #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices

Connection & belonging are human needs. Nearly 1,200 children & youth in Virginia are awaiting adoption. Learn how you can become a foster or adoptive parent https://bit.ly/DFS-FCA or email BeAFosterParent@fairfaxcounty.gov. #NationalAdoptionMonth #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices

Check out some Adoption Snapshots of families who are helping Fairfax County youth thrive as they grow up. https://bit.ly/DFS-CYF-FCAAS. #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices #NationalAdoptionMonth

Check out Fairfax County foster and adoptive families sharing how their lives have been shaped for the better and the positive impact they see in children’s lives. https://bit.ly/DFS-CYF-FCA-YP #NationalAdoptionMonth #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices

Youth are never too old to be adopted. Fairfax County's biggest need is loving homes for sibling groups, kids 9+ years old, and kids with special needs. Meet the children awaiting adoption https://bit.ly/DFS-CYF-FCA-CAA. #NationalAdoptionMonth

Every child, regardless of physical, medical, or emotional challenges, age, race, or sexual orientation, needs love, support, security and a permanent place to call home. Learn more https://bit.ly/DFS-FCA or email BeAFosterParent@fairfaxcounty.gov. #NationalAdoptionMonth

Youth leaving foster care without a permanent connection face challenges with employment, education, and mental health, as well as have an increased risk of homelessness and human trafficking. Learn how to help: https://bit.ly/DFS-FCA #NationalAdoptionMonth

Check out these statistics about foster care and adoption in Fairfax County https://bit.ly/2SaFcuz or email BeAFosterParent@fairfaxcounty.gov. #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices #NationalAdoptionMonth

Many adoptive families are also kinship families, raising the children of relatives or close family friends. This promotes kid’s sense of belonging and connection to cultural heritage, family & community. https://bit.ly/DFS-FCA #NationalAdoptionMonth #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices

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Follow these quick and easy steps to copy a message and post it along with the graphic.

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Noviembre es el Mes Nacional de la Adopción, este es un tiempo especial en que reconocemos el valor y la necesidad urgente de la adopción en nuestra comunidad. Todos los niños merecen un hogar lleno de amor, estabilidad, y permanencia. Aunque la reunificación con sus familias biológicas sea el objetivo principal de los niños en acogida, a veces no es posible. Los padres adoptivos proporcionan un hogar donde estos niños y jóvenes pueden desarrollar todo su potencial. Obtenga más información sobre cómo puede ayudar en https://bit.ly/DFS-FCA o envíe un correo electrónico a BeAFosterParent@fairfaxcounty.gov. #NationalAdoptionMonth #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices #mesnacionaldelaadopción

Actualmente tenemos aproximadamente 200 niños en hogares de acogida en el Condado de Fairfax. El Programa de Acogida Temporal y Adopción del Departamento de Servicios para las Familias, ofrece hogares de acogida temporales para estos niños y los servicios necesarios para ayudar a sus familias. Cuando un niño no puede volver a casa sano y salvo, tratamos de encontrar miembros de la familia que quieran cuidar de ellos y reúnan los requisitos legales para hacerlo. Si no encontramos un pariente o no pueden hacerse cargo del niño, buscamos un hogar permanente mediante la adopción. Obtenga más información sobre cómo puede ayudar en https://bit.ly/DFS-FCA o envíe un correo electrónico a BeAFosterParent@fairfaxcounty.gov. #NationalAdoptionMonth #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices #mesnacionaldelaadopción

Actualmente, unos 200 niños del condado de Fairfax se encuentran en hogares de acogida temporal sin tener culpa alguna. Sabemos que cuando los jóvenes, en acogida temporal, se sienten conectados con sus raíces, pueden construir una identidad y un futuro más fuerte. Ayude a marcar la diferencia en la vida de un joven en acogida temporal siendo esa conexión cultural. Obtenga más información sobre cómo puede ayudar en https://bit.ly/DFS-FCA o envíe un correo electrónico a BeAFosterParent@fairfaxcounty.gov. #mesnacionaldelaadopción

¡Noviembre es el #Mesnacionaldelaadopción! Ayúdenos a correr la voz sobre la necesidad que existe de padres adoptivos para los niños en cuido de crianza https://bit.ly/37BZsuL #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices #mesnacionaldelaadopción

La sentimientos de conexión y pertenencia son necesidades humanas. Casi mil doscientos niños y jóvenes estan en cuido de crianza en el estado de Virginia esperan ser adoptados. Aprenda cómo puede convertirse en un padre adoptivo o de cuido de crianza en https://bit.ly/DFS-FCA o envíe un correo electrónico a BeAFosterParent@fairfaxcounty.gov. #NationalAdoptionMonth #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices #mesnacionaldelaadopción

Actualmente, más del 30% de los niños y jóvenes en hogares de acogida del Condado de Fairfax son hispanos. El Programa de Acogida Temporal y Adopción del Departamento de Servicios para las Familias ofrece hogares de acogida temporal para estos niños y los servicios necesarios para ayudar a sus familias. Cuando un niño no puede regresar a su hogar de forma segura, tratamos de encontrar parientes que quieran cuidar del niño y que reúnan los requisitos legales para hacerlo. En caso de no se encuentra un pariente o no puede hacerse cargo del niño, buscamos un hogar permanente mediante la adopción. Obtenga más información sobre cómo puede ayudar a crear estabilidad y seguridad para los niños en cuido de crianza en https://bit.ly/DFS-FCA o envíe un correo electrónico a BeAFosterParent@fairfaxcounty.gov. #NationalAdoptionMonth #FairfaxCountyFamilyServices #mesnacionaldelaadopción

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November is Adoption Awareness Month, a time to celebrate adoptive parents for taking an extraordinary step in opening their hearts and homes to children in need of a safe place to call home! Did you know that there are children in foster care waiting for adoptive homes? So many of these children have special needs, are over the age of 9, or are part of sibling groups that would like to find a permanent home together. Adoptive parents support children as they recover from past traumatic experiences so that they can thrive. Explore the path to becoming a foster or adoptive parent at https://bit.ly/DFS-FCA or email BeAFosterParent@fairfaxcounty.gov.

November is Adoption Awareness Month. Have you considered becoming a foster/adoptive parent? Would you like to learn more about the children and teens in our county who are waiting for homes? Nearly 200 children in Fairfax County are in foster care, and we have a pressing need for more foster parents for children ages 11-17, children with special needs, and sibling groups of three or more. Families (single or multigenerational) that are willing to be flexible, have fun, maintain structure and consistency are welcome to inquire about becoming foster parents and growing their families. “There are no unwanted children, just unfound families.” Learn more about becoming a foster parent in Fairfax at https://bit.ly/DFS-FCA or contact BeAFosterParent@fairfaxcounty.gov.