On November 21, the typically serious Fort Bend County Justice Center was alive with balloons, cakes, and laughter in honor of National Adoption Day. The celebration honored 26 children who officially joined their forever families, with parents, siblings, grandparents, and cousins – many wearing matching t-shirts – gathered to mark the joyful occasion.
“Today is such a huge milestone in all of these kids’ lives, and it’s the ultimate gift given by the parents who are adopting them,” said Jill Curtis, president of the board of directors of Child Advocates of Fort Bend. “These are parents who have chosen these children, and it’s just an incredible gift. Our theme this year is ‘Better Together’, and you can see by everybody’s smiles and love and support that that’s exactly what we’re doing, we’re making it better together.”
Kinship placements are growing in Texas, now accounting for 45% of children in foster care, said Melissa Lanford, media specialist with Txas Department of Family and Protective Services. Recent state efforts have simplified licensing for relatives, making it easier to keep children with family, she said…