BY SUE MacDONALD
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Their faces smile from the pages of the organization's newsletter: Six-year-old Terry, who has cerebral palsy.
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IF YOU GO
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What: 24th North American Conference on Adoptable Children.
When: Thursday-Sunday.
Where: Hyatt Regency Hotel and Albert B. Sabin Convention Center, downtown.
Registration: Same-day registration (NACAC members $160 individual, $205 parent couple; non-members $215 individual, $260 parent couple). One-day registrations also are available.
Fees: $75-$130. |
Fifteen-year-old Kariann, a child who loves animals but has a history of being abused by her biological parents.
Ten-year-old David, who likes playing outdoors and struggles with hyperactivity.
They all want the same thing: a family to adopt them and give them a permanent home.
They and thousands of children like them will be the focus Thursday through Sunday at the 24th annual North American Conference on Adoptable Children at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Albert B. Sabin Convention Center.
An estimated 50,000-100,000 children nationwide are waiting to be adopted, according to Robert Simpson of College Hill, founder of the non-profit Group of Adoptive Parents (GAP), a resource organization for adoptive parents and a co-sponsor of the conference.
Many of the children have special needs, are older or have been in foster homes most of their lives.
"We have more people adopting, and many families who adopt once adopt again. International adoptions are increasing," says Mr. Simpson, who has two biological children and has adopted three others. "We're trying to get the word out about foster homes -- that's our big problem."
The goal of the conference, he says, is to "explore ways to ease the rapidly growing number of American and Canadian children waiting to be adopted."
NACAC will draw 1,200 participants from throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico to discuss the many challenges of adoption -- transracial adoption, private adoptions, speeding up permanent placements, self-esteem for adoptive children, gay and lesbian parents, searching adoption records and the challenges of adopting teens, children with special needs, drug problems or health problems. Fifteen governmental and non-profit Tristate agencies, ranging from the Adoption Awareness Alliance to Kentucky Foster Parent Association to Ohio Department of Human Services, have been involved in planning the conference.
Keynote speakers include:
Byron N. Kunisawa of San Francisco, lecturer, educator and consultant on diversity and multiculturalism (1:30-3:30 p.m. Thursday). He will discuss "Families: The Missing Link to America's Success in the 21st Century."
Dee Paddock, adoptive parent, family therapist and specialist on adoption and foster care issues (3:45-5 p.m. Saturday). She will discuss "Are You My Mother? The Orphan Child and the Crisis of Trust."
Pat O'Brien, founder of You Gotta Believe! The Older Child Adoption and Permanency Movement and advocate for the adoption of older children and teens (9-11 a.m. Sunday). He will discuss "Laughter for the Emotional Health of It: A Strategy for Keeping Our Families Together."
