Weld County issued the following announcement on Nov. 5.
Every child deserves a permanent, safe and loving family. That’s the simple yet profound motivation behind the Board of Commissioners proclaiming November as Weld County Adoption Month and November 20, 2020, as Weld County Adoption Day.
In conjunction with National Adoption Day on Saturday, November 21, the Weld County Department of Human Services (DHS) will hold a special day of virtual adoption hearings on Friday, November 20 to finalize the adoptions of 10 children and youth from the child welfare system. In past years, the courtroom of the Weld County Court House would be filled with stuffed animals, decorations and treats to commemorate the day. However, this year the celebration will be virtual due to COVID-19 precautions. Even though Adoption Day may look different this year, it won’t diminish the joy of this momentous day dedicated to children becoming an official and forever member of their adoptive families.
“As an adoptive father myself, I can tell you that adoption absolutely fills a child-sized hole in your heart,” said Commissioner Scott James. “We’re so fortunate that 10 children will find forever families on Weld County Adoption Day, but we need more people to take our waiting youth into their hearts and into their homes.”
Currently, there are more than 60 legally-free children and youth in Weld County custody who are still waiting to be adopted. There are over 120,000 children and teens awaiting adoption from foster care nationwide, of which 408 reside in Colorado.
“Our adoption staff work tirelessly through the year to find the right families for our kiddos and provide support to families after adoptions are finalized,” said Jamie Ulrich, DHS Director. “We’re excited to celebrate the 20th anniversary of National Adoption Day and to bring awareness of the urgent need for adoptive families for children and youth in foster care.”
So far this year, DHS has finalized 22 adoptions for children and youth from the child welfare system, with a total of 40 adoptions expected by the end of 2020. This is in addition to many other local families who have adopted children privately. Over 850 children and youth have been adopted through the Weld County child welfare system over the last 20 years.
Original source can be found here.
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