JCICS 37th Annual Child Welfare Symposium

As always, Joint Council’s (JCICS) 37th Annual Child Welfare Symposium was a great time of connecting with other adoption professionals and participating in educational sessions.  The speakers were thought-provoking and engaging and I came away from the sessions feeling like I had learned something important.

Martha Osborne

For me, the highlight of the conference was hearing Martha Osborne speak about the advocacy she does for children through her website, Rainbowkids (rainbowkids.com)  Martha is very likely, the most well-known advocate for children with special needs who are waiting to be adopted.  I was blown away by how long she has carried this passion and what she has done to help children find families!  Martha is committed to working with agencies to advocate for these special children and I am excited for Gladney and Rainbow Kids to continue to partner together to become a bigger voice for children who desperately need forever families!

April Uduhiri, Asia Program Case Worker

CCCWA Updating Online Database

I wanted to share with you all that CCCWA is planning to update their online database system.  This database houses the “shared list”, along with information about matched families’ cases.  

At the Joint Council conference Wednesday, I had a chance to get a sneak peek at the new system (shown in photo above).  The upgraded database looks similar to the former system, but it appears more organized and seems to have more features which should prove useful.  I think this will be a good improvement for the China program and hopefully the upgraded system will provide more technical stability during the monthly updates when a lot of matching happens!

In order to facilitate this process, CCCWA is shutting down the old database on Friday, May 24th and the new system should be up and running as of June 1st.  They have also informed us that they will not be accepting or processing dossiers during this time.  As far as I am aware, that is the only service that will be impacted during this transition.

It is my hope that taking a full week to close the old system and bring up the new database will facilitate a smooth transition.  We look forward to using the new and improved system!

April

Superkids is preparing to return to China next month!

The Superkids team will be visiting six orphanages in three provinces.  We will visit Shanghai Children's Home, four orphanages in the Jiangxi province and one orphanage in the Hunan province.  The team will evaluate children to assist them in finding adoptive families and work with children who may not be adopted so that we can improve their quality of life.  We will also train caregivers and rehabilitation staff to increase the skill of their therapeutic interactions with all children they care for.

Superkids Team Pat, Erin and Darla

As always, Gongzhan Wu, Gladney Vice President and Managing Director of the Asia Program, will lead the trip.  Superkids team members will include: Darla Wrage, MD, a pediatrician making her first therapeutic trip to China (read her bio on the Superkids blog); Erin Martin, waiting child advocate and Gladney Mom; and Pat Marcus, Physical Therapist. Superkids is thrilled with, and appreciative of, the dedication and commitment shown by its volunteers.

  

Please be sure to follow our progress on the Superkids blog and share in the preparation for the trip!

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month!

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) came about when Congress passed a resolution in 1978 to designate a week to celebrate Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. During APAHM, communities celebrate the achievements and contributions of Asian and Pacific Americans with community festivals, government-sponsored activities and educational activities for students. Google Asian Pacific American Heritage Month or APAHM to learn more!

JCICS Conference May 20 - 22, 2013

Gladney’s New York Office staff will be attending the Joint Council’s (JCICS) 37th Annual Child Welfare Symposium. They will join over 200 leading professionals, researchers, and advocates in the field of child welfare, orphan care and adoption to learn about and discuss topics relating to child welfare and adoption.

Mary Chapman, Asia Programs Caseworker is enthused about attending the conference, “I am excited to meet with Martha Osborn, the founder of Rainbow Kids, as we’ve worked together over the last couple of years advocating for waiting children.  She always has great ideas about how to get the word out about the precious kids that are waiting for families!”

Over the course of three days, there will be numerous workshops to address the needs of children in Haiti, India, Ethiopia and China, as well as financial organizational empowerment, medical and nutritional issues, orphan care issues, and intercountry curricula. More information on these workshops can be found here. For more information about JCICS, please visit www.jointcouncil.org/.

Gladney GFA Picnics and Events

GFA sponsored picnics, pool parties, ball game outings and more will be taking place over the next few months throughout the country to bring families together to enjoy each other's company and the beautiful weather!

Check the GFA Network's Event Calendar to learn what is happening in your area!

Stuck Screening in New York City - Inspiring!

On Thursday evening, May 9, members of Gladney’s Asia Program Staff and Gladney families and friends from the Tri-state area attended the screening of the documentary Stuck at the Chelsea Theater in New York City.  This moving film created by Both Ends Burning founder Craig Juntunen, is intended to inspire viewers to become involved in the social movement that will ultimately put pressure on U.S. officials to force a more supportive attitude toward International Adoption.

The ambitious 62 city bus tour in 80 days will culminate next week with a Step Forward for Orphans march in Washington, DC on Friday, May 17 at 1pm.  Click here to learn more about the Stuck initiative and the upcoming march.

Recently in China adoption news:

• CCCWA has matched families with LIDs through October 26, 2006.
• CCCWA has reviewed dossiers with LIDs through October 31, 2012.
• CCCWA has issued referrals for two Gladney families in April!
• CCCWA has issued 5 Travel Approvals for Gladney families in April!

 Gladney's Guang Ming Program 光明

Advocating for Children Who Wait  

Don't worry if you missed our special presentation in April about Gladney's China program, the recording is available on our Asia Waiting Child blog (click here).  Thank you to Juliette Howard who shared her family's personal experience of adopting their 6 year old son and how they have been adjusting and growing during his first 6 months home.

The Howard bunch!

During the webinar, Pat Marcus, Physical Therapist, shared about the work Superkids is doing and talked about several children who are currently available for adoption from Hunan Province.

Gladney hosts a monthly webinar about the process of adopting through Gladney and available waiting children in the China Guang Ming program - register here for the next monthly webinar on May 8th at 1pm EST.

Gladney Guang Ming Facebook Group

Did you know that families who have adopted through Gladney's Guang Ming (Asia Waiting Child) program have a place to connect with each other on Facebook?  The group was created by a Gladney Mom who was looking for a place to find encouragement and support with other Gladney parents. The Guang Ming Facebook group has been a great way for families to ask each other questions, connect with families in their area and find out about Gladney events in a positive atmosphere!  Search Gladney's Guang Ming Families on Facebook to join the group.  Please note, due to the nature of the group and the desire among parents for a certain level of privacy when sharing about their children, the group is available only for Gladney families.

China Waiting Child Webinar - Wed. May 8th

Each month Gladney hosts an Asia Waiting Child Webinar. Our next webinar is Wed., May 8th at 1pm EST.

This informative webinar will focus on the process of adopting waiting children from China. The webinar will provide an overview of Gladney’s program as well as share photos of available children. You will get a detailed explanation of the Application and paperwork process involved with adopting internationally. Also, each month we will feature different children, with a variety of ages and special needs, who are available for adoption. At the end of each webinar we offer time for attendees to ask questions and will provide contact information for you to follow up with one of Gladney’s Asia Program Staff.

We hope you will be able to join us! Be sure to register! Feel free to pass this invitation along to friends and family members that may also be interested.

Top 10 Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew

Live Webinar Details

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

7:00PM Central 

Q&A: 8:00PM

Adopted people and adoptive parents don’t always look at adoption the same way. Many of the issues adoptees struggle with may be difficult for parents to understand and come to terms with. And it’s ever changing. A parent’s and a child’s adoption experiences change over time, based on life events, ability to understand the circumstances, and new facts as they become available or are discovered.

Understanding your child’s feelings about adoption is essential, so how do you gain some insight?

We’ve gathered a panel of adopted people, to discuss:

• What they wish their parents had known
• Their feelings about loss, shame and anger and their love for their parents
• What feelings they shared with their parents and what they kept to themselves

Register now

Co-Sponsors

Jiangxi Province, Shanghai & Suzhou July 28 - August 6, 2013

Jiangxi Province is excited and honored to participate in sponsoring a heritage tour this summer from July 28 through August 6, 2013.  The tour, which will start in Shanghai and finish in Nanchang, is designed with Jiangxi children and their families in mind, as well as families with children from Shanghai, Jiangsu and other East China regions.  However, it is open to all children adopted from China. In addition to the tour, it is possible to add time at the beginning or end to allow for orphanage visits or to see other sites in China.

  

All Chinese adoptees are eligible for in-China financial support from China's Ministry of Civil Affairs, through CCCWA. Amounts will be determined based upon individual family participation. The subsidies are available for a limited number of families -- please apply early, to be considered for this financial support. For a detailed itinerary and applications, please visit the Gladney Asia website  www.gladneyasia.org.

STUCK, the Film

STUCK is a recently released documentary film, produced by Both Ends Burning, that uncovers the personal, real-life stories of children and parents navigating a rollercoaster of bureaucracy on their journeys through the international adoption system.  The film is an important part of the advocacy done by Both Ends Burning to address the "squeeze" being felt in the international adoption community that is preventing children from finding homes outside their countries of birth.

Frank Garrrott, Gladney's President, sends a passionate appeal to all Gladney families to see STUCK and encourages a huge Gladney turnout in every city where the film is being shown.

To learn more about the STUCK film, and tour itinerary click here.

Superkids Charity - A BIG part of Gladney's Asia Program

Superkids Charity, what is it and how did it begin? Pat Marcus describes how this amazing initiative got its start and how she became involved.

Pat with Edna Gladney at Shanghai Children's Home

"Superkids Charity was founded in 2006 by a Gladney mom, Janet Fink.  Janet wanted to give back to the orphanage that took such good care of her daughter. I have been an integral part of Superkids as the first professional to join the team. In direct collaboration with Gongzhan Wu, Vice President and Managing Director of Gladney's Asia Programs, we took our first trip to China in 2007. We have made nine trips to Asia since then. Our volunteers include physical therapists, speech therapists, and medical doctors.

The first orphanage we visited was the Shanghai Children's Home. We have now visited six provinces and assisted orphanages with many different objectives including increased focus on opportunities for gross motor skill development, and specialized attention to speech and feeding issues. We train caregivers and work with rehabilitation staff. During our visits we are able to evaluate children and provide information to waiting adoptive parents. Importantly, Superkids also provides care and comfort to children who may not find their forever families."

- Pat Marcus 

Click here to learn more about the Superkids Charity and read the blog.

Just in time for Mother's Day, a new book by Jane Aronson

"Carried in Our Hearts is an amazing account of the journey that Dr. Jane Aronson and countless families have taken toward shepherding children through the process of finding permanent and loving homes."
- Hugh Jackman, Gladney Dad

Dr. Jane Aronson, adoption physician and founder of Worldwide Orphans (WWO) Foundation has written a book called Carried in Our Hearts which captures uplifting adoption tales and highlights the importance of both connection and family. The book is an edited collection of stories written by parents who adopted from many countries; it features essays from many adoptive parents from China.

In a recent Glamour magazine article, comedian Amy Poehler interviews Jane Aronson, "the woman she is proudest to know" about this new book and the WWO Foundation.

The book has a publication date of May 12 (Mother's Day!). For all pre-orders made before April 18th, the publisher, Tarcher/Penguin will donate $1 to WWO. Pre-order yours today.

Chelsea Guffy, Law Student Volunteer

We are pleased to introduce Chelsea Guffy who currently attends law school and volunteers each week at the New York office. This summer, Chelsea will continue with Gladney in an internship position and receive academic credit.  As part of her summer experience, she is preparing to travel to China with Gladney staff.

"... adoption law is a subject that is barely covered in law school. On occasion, we read cases in law school that somehow loosely pertain to adoption, but the intricacies of adoption law are rarely discussed.  That's why I volunteer at Gladney. I help out a little bit and in return I get to see adoption at work and speak with adoption professionals, not to mention the joy I receive from the photos of smiling "Gladney babies" lining the walls. Gladney is a weekly reminder of why my education matters, a reminder which is of great importance to me."                                          - Chelsea Guffy

Click here to read Chelsea's full article which includes a synopsis of the New York Law School Adoption Conference which she recently attended with the Gladney Asia Staff.

New Member of the Gladney Asia Team!

Pat Marcus, Gladney Superkids Physical Therapist

We are proud to announce the addition of Pat Marcus to the team! Pat will be continuing her work with Gladney's Superkids Charity and the Asia Waiting Child Program in a new staff position! She will also be contributing monthly to this newsletter.

"Working as a volunteer with the Asia Waiting Child program has changed my life. I have been privileged to work with so many wonderful children and adoptive parents. As the kids I meet in China come home to their forever families, my work comes full circle.  This is rewarding beyond words.  I am so pleased to now be part of Gladney's staff and to be able to advocate, care for, and work with waiting children. In the coming months, I will devote more time to working with Gongzhan, and Gladney. So please follow us in the newsletter and at Superkidscharity.blogspot.com"                                                           - Pat Marcus

Gladney's NY office is on the move!

Our temporary address for the Spring will be:

Riverside - Gladney Center for Adoption

48 Wall Street, Suite 703

New York, NY 10005

All mail/FedEx/UPS packages should be sent to the above address.  We have activated mail forwarding service with USPS, so any mail that has already been sent will make it to us at the new address!

The main number for the New York office is still active, 212-868-3434.  For staff direct numbers, please call:

Gongzhan Wu - 917-969-0987

Wendy Stanley - 347-371-2270

April Uduhiri - 646-244-3514

Mary Chapman - 347-574-3320

Recently in China adoption news:

• CCCWA has matched families with LIDs through October 19, 2006.
• CCCWA has reviewed dossiers with LIDs through October 31, 2012.
• CCCWA has issued a referral for one family in March!
• Three Gladney families traveled to China to adoption their children in March!

 Congratulations!! 

 

It's official!  The Myers joyfully welcome Liberty into their family.

While in China, Kathleen and Brandon were on local Shanghai TV. Here is the link. 

www.runningtorunrun.blogspot.com

  

    Khloe is showing Mom and Dad the sights in Shanghai!

www.krazykennetts.blogspot.com

   

Celebrating MaeLynn's first birthday in China!

www.benningtonbunch.blogspot.com

 Gladney's Guang Ming Program 光明

Advocating for Children Who Wait

Special Webinar -- April 25^th at 7pm EST!

Join us for a special presentation about Gladney's China program and partnerships, featuring Pat Marcus, Gladney Superkids Physical Therapist  and Juliette Howard, an experienced adoptive parent who recently adopted through Gladney's Guang Ming program!  The webinar will focus on children who are currently available for adoption.  April 25th at 7pm EST.  Register here to attend.

Our special webinars are a great way to learn more about our partnerships with orphanages in China, as well as, the wonderful children that are waiting for families through Gladney's Guang Ming program.  In addition to special presentations, Gladney also hosts a monthly webinar which focuses on specific information about the process of adopting through Gladney and available waiting children in the China Guang Ming program - register here for the next monthly webinar on May 8th at 1pm EST.

Gladney's 100th GFA Lifetime Member

"Gladney's year of milestones continues..... 125 years; 30,000 placements; 1,000 children adopted from China; and now, 100 Lifetime Members of our Gladney Family Associations, which are located in 19 cities around the country....".

GFA Chinese New Year Party in New York

Click here to find out who the 100th member is and to read more about GFA Lifetime Membership in Gladney President, Frank Garrott's insightful blog "What Really Matters".

GFA Chinese New Year Party in Texas

Register now for next week's FREE expert Q&A webinar

Presented by Adoptive Families

Expert Q&A: Parenting in Transracial Adoption

with Deborah H. Johnson

April 10, 2013 @ 1 pm EDT

Parents who adopt a child of a different race may wonder what life will be like as a conspicuous family, how to teach their child about his birth culture, how to find role models of their child's race, what resources exist for multiracial families, how to deal with and prepare their child for racism, and more. Join transracial adoption expert Deborah H. Johnson to ask any questions you have. The Expert Q&A Webinar: Parenting in Transracial Adoption will take place on Wednesday, April 10, 2013 from 1pm to 2pm EDT(12pm-1pm CDT; 11am-12pm MDT; 10am-11am PDT).

Don't want to forget your question? Submit it in advance here.

 

Can't attend the webinar? We'll post a recording here after the session.