Capital Law Professor Angela Upchurch to Participate in White House Roundtable Discussion on Orphans and Children

November 8, 2007

Capital University Law School Professor Angela Upchurch will be participating in a White House Compassion in Action Roundtable on “ Faith and Community Solutions for Orphans and Vulnerable Children” on Nov. 16, 2007, in Washington, D.C. The National Center for Adoption Law & Policy (NCALP) at Capital University Law School was one of only 100 representatives from across the country invited by the White House to participate. Upchurch is the Real Living Academic Director of NCALP and will be representing the Center.

In the U.S. alone, there is more than a half-million children in the foster care system and approximately 115,000 of them are waiting to be adopted. The roundtable will focus on best practices and innovative policies and partnerships in the child welfare system.

Upchurch recently returned from a national summit that focused on parent recruitment in the adoption and foster care system where she was one of only 40 other invited participants. The Families for All National Parent Recruitment Summit, sponsored by the National Council for Adoption, developed and released a statement urging Congress to reform the foster care financing system. According to the National Council for Adoption, 22 percent of children in foster care are waiting to be adopted, but only 1.3 percent of available federal funds are being used to find and train parents.

“November is National Adoption Month. These national meetings, along with National Adoption Day on Nov. 14, are truly elevating the awareness among the public and legislative policy makers for the need to improve our system of adoption and foster care and move more children waiting to be adopted into permanent, loving homes,” said Upchurch.

About NCALP
Founded in 1998, the National Center for Adoption Law & Policy at Capital University Law School seeks to improve the law, policies and practices associated with child protection and adoption systems. Through its education, advocacy and research efforts, the Center works toward realizing the goal that all children — especially those who have been abused or neglected or are dependent on the state for their care — have safe, healthy, permanent homes.