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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Maria Elena Baca, Hennepin County Communications, 612-348-7865
Spenser Bickett, Hennepin County District Court, 612-348-5022
On National Adoption Day, Saturday, November 17, 38 children will have a chance at a new beginning, and 22 families will embark on a new chapter in their lives together. Members of the news media may witness celebrations at the Juvenile Justice Center, as parents and children come together in adoption finalization hearings before a district court judge.
Hennepin County’s celebration of National Adoption Day
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Saturday, November 17, 9 a.m. to noon
- Juvenile Justice Center, 590 Park Avenue South, Minneapolis, second floor,
The first hearings start at 9 a.m.; the last ones start at 10:40 a.m. If you would like to witness a court hearing, please come before 10:20 a.m.
Transitioning to a friendly place
By the end of 2018, Hennepin County expects to have adoptions finalized for about 200 children. Research shows that children who must leave their parents’ care do best when they can live with someone they already know. Foster care and adoption placement with family members, friends or other trusted adults can reduce behavior issues, support good mental health, increase stability and decrease a child’s risk of reentering the child welfare system.
Since 2014, Hennepin County has been placing an increasing proportion of those children in need of out-of-home placement in the homes of people who already were part of their lives. Among children adopted this year, 56 percent were welcomed by family members or friends. That number is well above the national standard.
Join us
Please register at the check-in table on the skyway level. Some families are open to media in their court hearings. Other families would like privacy on this important day. All families need to prioritize their hearing times above all else. State privacy laws bar current foster children from being photographed or filmed. Please ask for assistance with interviews and photos.
Look for more news on the Hennepin County website at hennepin.us/news.
Discover how we're making a difference in our communities at hennepin.us/stories.
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