Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another, usually a child, from that person's biological or legal parent or parents. Legal adoptions permanently transfer all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, from the biological parents to the adoptive parents.
Child abandonment is the practice of relinquishing interests and claims over one's offspring in an illegal way, with the intent of never resuming or reasserting guardianship. The phrase is typically used to describe the physical abandonment of a child, but it can also include severe cases of neglect and emotional abandonment, such as when parents fail to provide financial and emotional support for children over an extended period of time. An abandoned child is referred to as a foundling. Baby dumping refers to parents leaving a child younger than 12 months in a public or private place with the intent of terminating their care for the child. It is also known as rehoming when adoptive parents use illegal means, such as the internet, to find new homes for their children.
Historically, an orphanage is a residential institution, or group home, devoted to the care of orphans and other children who were separated from their biological families. Examples of what would cause a child to be placed in orphanages are when the parents were deceased, the biological family was abusive to the child, there was substance abuse or mental illness in the biological home that was detrimental to the child, or the parents had to leave to work elsewhere and were unable or unwilling to take the child. The role of legal responsibility for the support of children whose parent(s) have died or are otherwise unable to provide care differs internationally.
Foster care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home, or private home of a state-certified caregiver, referred to as a "foster parent" or with a family member approved by the state. The placement of the child is normally arranged through the government or a social service agency. The institution, group home, or foster parent is compensated for expenses unless with a family member. In some states, relative or "Kinship" caregivers of children who are wards of the state are provided with a financial stipend.
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends is an American animated television series created by Craig McCracken for Cartoon Network. It was produced by Cartoon Network Studios as the network's first show animated primarily with Adobe Flash, which was done in Ireland by Boulder Media. Set in a world in which imaginary friends coexist with humans, it centers on a boy named Mac who is pressured by his mother to abandon his imaginary friend Bloo. After the duo discover an orphanage dedicated to housing abandoned imaginary friends, Bloo moves into the home and is kept from adoption as long as Mac visits him daily at exactly 3:00 PM. The episodes revolve around Mac and Bloo as they interact with other imaginary friends and house staff and live out their day-to-day adventures, often getting caught up in various predicaments.
The Advertising Council, commonly known as the Ad Council, is an American nonprofit organization that produces, distributes, and promotes public service announcements on behalf of various sponsors, including nonprofit organizations, non-governmental organizations and agencies of the United States government.
Crossroads is a 2002 American teen drama road film set in Georgia. Directed by Tamra Davis and written by Shonda Rhimes, the film stars Britney Spears, Anson Mount, Zoe Saldaña, Taryn Manning, Kim Cattrall, and Dan Aykroyd. The film was produced by MTV Films and released on February 15, 2002, in North America by Paramount Pictures. The plot centers on three teenage girls as they take a cross-country road trip, finding themselves and their friendship in the process.
The United States Children's Bureau is a federal agency organized under the United States Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families. Today, the bureau's operations involve improving child abuse prevention, foster care, and adoption. Historically, its work was much broader, as shown by the 1912 act which created and funded it:
The said bureau shall investigate and report to [the Department of Commerce and Labor] upon all matters pertaining to the welfare of children and child life among all classes of our people, and shall especially investigate the questions of infant mortality, the birth-rate, orphanage, juvenile courts, desertion, dangerous occupations, accidents and diseases of children, employment, legislation affecting children in the several states and territories.
A baby hatch or baby box is a place where people can bring babies, usually newborn, and abandon them anonymously in a safe place to be found and cared for. This kind of arrangement was common in the Middle Ages and in the 18th and 19th centuries, when the device was known as a foundling wheel. Foundling wheels were taken out of use in the late 19th century, but a modern form, the baby hatch, began to be introduced again from 1952 and since 2000 has come into use in many countries, notably in Germany, where there are around 100 hatches, Czech Republic (76), Poland (67), and in Pakistan where there are more than 300 as of 2006.
Safe-haven laws are statutes in the United States that decriminalize the leaving of unharmed infants with statutorily designated private persons so that the child becomes a ward of the state. Safe-haven laws are currently in place nationwide, as all fifty states have enacted such statutes.
Child protective services (CPS) is the name of a government agency in many states of the United States responsible for providing child protection, which includes responding to reports of child abuse or neglect. Some states use other names, often attempting to reflect more family-centered practices, such as department of children and family services (DCFS). CPS is also sometimes known by the name of department of social services, though these terms more often have a broader meaning.
The Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA) is a United States federal law that governs jurisdiction over the removal of Native American (Indian) children from their families in custody, foster care and adoption cases.
Childhelp is a US non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child abuse. Founded in 1959 as International Orphans, Inc. by Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson, Childhelp is one of the largest non-profit child abuse prevention and treatment organizations in the nation. It operates facilities in California, Virginia, Tennessee, and Arizona. The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline services all of the United States, its territories and Canada. The organization also distributes Childhelp Speak Up Be Safe, a school-based abuse and bullying prevention program.
The New York Foundling, founded in 1869 by the Roman Catholic Sisters of Charity, is one of New York City's oldest and largest child welfare agencies. The Foundling operates programs in the five boroughs of New York City, Rockland County, and Puerto Rico. Its services include foster care, adoptions, educational programs, mental health services, and many other community-based services for children, families, and adults.
Project Cuddle is a nationwide California-based non-profit organization dedicated to preventing baby abandonment. It works with pregnant women in distress to provide shelter, to give guidance to find medical and prenatal care, and to help find adoptive families. Its national spokesperson is actor John Stamos. The Believe Campaign was created by Project Cuddle, It was created to spread awareness to American teens about the "Safe Haven" laws. Project Cuddle along with celebrities John Stamos and Denise Richards have helped to create an educational video that is available to distribute for free to Health clinics and schools. It operates a 24/7 toll-free hotline which treats all calls as confidential. Project Cuddle and its founder, Debbe Magnusen, were featured in a People magazine article in February 2007 in the popular column Heroes Among Us, on The Oprah Winfrey Show in April 2000, and again on a special "Cheers To You!" episode on May 9, 2007. The organization has also been featured on ABC News, CBS News, and Dateline Houston.
Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor who has been made a ward is placed in an institution, group home, or private home of a state certified caregiver. The placement of the child is usually arranged through the government or a social-service agency. The institution, group home or foster parent is provided compensation for expenses.
Superstar is the debut studio album by Nigerian singer Wizkid. It was released by Empire on June 12, 2011. It is the best selling afrobeat album, selling over five millions copies in 2011-2012 The album's production was handled by Samklef, E-Kelly, Jay Sleek, Shizzi, DJ Klem, Masterkraft, Q-Beats, Banky W and Vebee. It features collaborations with Wande Coal, D'Prince, Banky W and Skales. The album was supported by the singles "Holla at Your Boy", "Tease Me/Bad Guys", "Don't Dull", "Love My Baby", "Pakurumo", and "Oluwa Lo Ni". It is the second best selling album on NotJustOk and was the most highly anticipated Nigerian album of 2011.
David Meade is an American politician and a Republican member of the Kentucky House of Representatives representing District 80 since January 8, 2013. His legislative district includes Lincoln County and part of Pulaski County. Meade serves as Speaker pro tempore of the Kentucky House of Representatives, a constitutional office and the second-highest position in the 100-member legislative chamber.
Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children is a New York-based licensed and Hague-accredited non-profit providing adoption services, which includes the continuum of counseling and support services to members of the adoption triad: birth parents, adoptive families, and adoptees. They provide interim care for infants as the biological parents make a plan for the child’s future, and also specialize in the adoption of older children, sibling groups and children with special needs.
