OROVILLE, Calif.
A special ceremony was held in Oroville to mark National Adoption Awareness Month. A total of 28 adoptions are set to take place in Butte County during the month of November.
On Friday, 17 adoptions were finalized in Butte County Superior Court by Judge Kimberly Merrifield.
“It is such heartfelt day to see the families and children achieve the level of permanency they have all been working so hard to achieve,” said Jessica Bennett at Adoptions Services. “As a Program Manager, it is also rewarding to see the workers supporting their families through the finalization and knowing they had a hand in supporting the families through this process.”
Adoption Awareness Month honors the team effort that goes into the adoption process—including employees and adoptive families. Another aspect is raising awareness about the importance of having a stable home during childhood.
“When children get into stable home environments, they can really begin to thrive. When their basic needs are met, it allows them to focus on simply being a child and going to school. It helps them develop trust and gain resiliency,” explained Bennett. “They are more likely to be successful later in life and have a successful future.”
Finalizing an adoption is just the beginning of a new phase in a child’s life. Adoption Awareness month emphasizes maintaining a healthy relationship with adoptive families as well as biological family members.
“It is a way to honor the adoptive families for the dedication and commitment they have made to their children,” adds Bennett. “It highlights maintaining adoptive and birth family connections and it is a way to educate the public on the process of adoption.”