Give to NCALP
     

Your financial support allows us to continue improving our work on behalf of children who are in need of safe, permanent homes. Please remember the National Center for Adoption Law & Policy in your gift-giving this year.

Contributions of all sizes are greatly appreciated to help support our mission and programs.
Make your year-end 2008 contribution here.

Ways to Support

• In honor of the Center’s Ten Year Anniversary, the Center has established the Maestro Anniversary Society to recognize contributors who donate every year. Give today and become a society member!

• Make a difference in the lives of at-risk children forever and invest in a Fellow today. Help NCALP develop the next generation of child and family advocates by supporting the Adoption/Child Welfare Law Fellowship or the Felicia Beth Nekritz Juvenile Law Fellowship at Capital University Law School. Learn more about these Fellowships and their purpose here.

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        20 Columbus Foster Children Find Forever Families
        

The National Center for Adoption Law & Policy celebrated with 11 families who adopted 20 children from foster care as part of this year’s National Adoption Day. The event, which took place at the Franklin County Probate Court on November 10, was part of a national campaign to bring attention to the need for permanent homes for children in foster care. Since 2000, more than 21,000 children have joined forever families during National Adoption Day celebrations in courts across the country.

NCALP was very proud to have played a key role in this event by providing training and assistance to the pro bono attorneys who finalized adoptions on that day. “As in years past, the Center was very pleased to coordinate the recruitment and training of the volunteer attorneys who represent families finalizing their adoptions on National Adoption Day,” said Denise St. Clair, Executive Director of the Center. “These legal professionals not only provide their expertise on one of the most important days in the lives of these families, but also help to highlight the need for more adoptive homes for kids in foster care.”

The event tapped into Columbus’ legal community, engaging attorneys and paralegals in several area corporations, private practice, and area law firms including: JP Morgan Chase, Nationwide, and Isaac Brant Ledman & Teetor. To view a complete list of Franklin County National Adoption Day pro bono volunteers, click here.

Additionally, this year’s Franklin County event received volunteer student support from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and Capital University Law School, who assisted as family ambassadors.

Thank you to our 2008 Franklin County National Adoption Day Partners: Capital University Law School, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, Franklin County Children Services, Franklin County Probate Court, Nationwide, Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation, and Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP.
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     2008 Highlights
     

2008 was another tremendous year for the National Center for Adoption Law & Policy! See highlights below.

Selection as a 2008 Angels in Adoption, presented by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute

“We are fortunate to have the National Center for Adoption Law & Policy in my home town of Columbus, Ohio. The Center is an excellent resource for family members and practitioners, providing a multitude of information services that can help the general public understand and navigate complex adoption laws and procedures. As an adoptive parent, legislator and Capital University Law School alumna, I am proud to have partnered with the Center on a number of initiatives and am delighted for the opportunity to honor the great work of NCALP.”
Ohio Congresswoman Deborah Pryce, L'76, nominated NCALP for this honor

Learn more here.

Launch of the new Adoption & Child Welfare LawSite, with expanded content and material thanks to the generous support of Abbott Nutrition and the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services

“The LawSite was a useful tool for me and my family as we searched for information regarding cases similar to those of our daughter.  I think the new features of the improved site will only make it better, and I encourage all prospective adoptive parents to use the LawSite as one of their adoption resources. It is also a neat place to refer to for changes in the law and new adoption policies, even after you’ve completed the adoption process.”
Nadine Palmer, an adoptive parent who used the site to help her understand more aspects of the law when she adopted one of her three adopted children

Take a look at the Adoption & Child Welfare LawSite and let us know what you think.

Introduction of a new workshop: Developing the Child Welfare Team: Building a Collaborative Legal Representation Model
Funded by the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services

“Very useful getting to talk to other professionals outside of court or case specific situations.”
 “The training sparked an on-going dialog between Children Services, the Court System, Attorneys and CASA/GAL.” - Workshop Participant Feedback

Each workshop is co-facilitated by Center legal and social work professionals and is planned to elicit teamwork across disciplines. All workshops are offered free of charge to participants and to the hosting counties.  Contact the Center if you are interested in organizing a workshop for your county.

Premiere of Adoption Academy Webinar Series, in partnership with Nationwide Children’s Hospital

“I loved the program. I felt I could have my questions answered without pressure to contact a specific agency. So much good information.” – Adoption Academy Participant

With support from Abbott Nutrition, we completed two video-on-demand programs of the Adoption Academy via the internet so that more prospective adoptive parents can view presentations from more locations.  Check out the webinars here.

Presentation of National Moot Court Competition in Child Welfare & Adoption Law, Summer Adoption Law Institute and Forever Home Celebration

Forever Home Adoption Celebration
“This is just the kind of event that fits [our] mission and I was glad to have…the opportunity to interact with so many people who have adopted or fostered, or are interested in doing so. It was great fun to watch all of the little kids having fun and being entertained by the COSI ‘fun-masters’… Please keep United Methodist Children's Home in your plans for next year's event…”
2008 Forever Home Adoption Celebration exhibitor

Moot Court
“It is one of the best moot court competitions in the country…” — 2008 Faculty Coach
“…Students were very well prepared and had a true grasp of the difficulties faced by courts in determining these issues.” — 2008 Oral Argument Judge

Summer Adoption Law Institute
Our largest participation to date!
59 registrants with students representing 16 law schools and professionals attending from as far as California

Celebration of our Tenth Anniversary Year

To celebrate our tenth anniversary, we took a moment to recognize special individuals and organizations that have supported us along the way at our sixth annual Autumn Wine Celebration.  See our tributes here.

Thank you to our 2008 Autumn Wine Celebration Underwriters: Carlile Patchen & Murphy, Chester Willcox & Saxbe, IAB Benefits, Massucci & Kline, Primrose School of Lewis Center, and Waite Schneider Bayless & Chesley.