Lisa McLean, (C) teaches her adopted children, James (R), 9, and Maddie, 8, about the parts of a flower. (Photo by Mario Villafuerte/Getty Images)
Healthy Living
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/AP) — November is National Adoption Month, a time to raise awareness about the adoption of children and youth from foster care, and Florida is doing its part.
Florida is launching a statewide initiative to find homes for roughly 800 foster children during National Adoption Month.
The Department of Children and Families Secretary David Wilkins kicked off the movement Tuesday in Tallahassee. He said the majority of foster children waiting for loving parents are teenagers.
Foster kids who do not find a permanent family before turning 18 run a higher risk of being arrested, dropping out of school or becoming homeless.
Wilkins stressed that foster children who are available for adoption have had the legal rights of their biological parents terminated. That means these children will never be returned to their birth parents.
The campaign uses videos and photos to feature different children available for adoption each day. Their stories will be featured on www.adoptflorida.org.
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