Foster Care & Adoption Forum

Pro-Life Philippines Foundation in partnership with Norfil Foundation conducted a forum on “Foster Care and Adoption” last June 6,2009 at the training center of Norfil Foundation in Quezon City. It’s objective is to educate the participants about these two alternative ways of parental care to respond to the needs of children who are orphaned, neglected and abandoned. Also, it hopes to find potential families who are willing to open their homes and share their resources on either a temporary or a permanent basis

Inspite of inclement weather, participants from various parishes, church-based organizations, and other NGO’s, who deal with children, attended the forum.

Ms. Weena Meily, Pro-Life Phil. Program Officer led an inspiring opening prayer and gave a brief info on what  Pro-Life Philippines is, and  Ms. Marissa Basada, Program Officer of Foster Care & Adoption gave an overview of the Mission and Programs of Norfil Foundation. She made a power point presentation showcasing its 20 years of service to women, children and youth with special needs. Pro-Life Philippines is networking with Norfil Foundation’s maternity home for pregnant women, foster care and adoption programs.

Maru and Matet, are Norfil Foundation’s social workers on foster care and adoption,and also the main speakers of the event.  They discussed important points regarding differences between foster and adoption.  It was clearly stated that foster care provides a temporary substitute family care to a child by a licensed foster family while adoption provides a permanent family to a child whose parents have given up their parental authority voluntarily or involuntarily. Several questions were raised.  These included  qualifications for becoming foster parents and who are the children in need of foster care, who may adopt and who may be adopted, and the documents needed.

There are 12 steps in the  legal process of foster care and adoption.
Step 1. Inquiry
Step 2. Attendance to Forum
Step 3. Application
Step 4. Assessment / Preparation of Home Study Report
Step 5. Approval / Disapproval of application
Step 6. Matching / Family Selection
Step. 7 Preparations for Child’s Placement
Step. 8 Child Placement
Step. 9 Supervised Trial Custody
Step. 10 Finalization of Adoption
Step. 11 Issuance of Adoption Decree / Certificate of Finality
Step 12. Issuance of Amended Birth Certificate.

Clarifications and questions were raised after. Participants were encouraged to promote and apply these new learnings on their respective parishes and organizations.  The gathering ended with an invitation to do their “homework”.  And that is, to spread the good news, that there is indeed hope for children deserving love and care from foster and adoptive parents. For more inquiries please call Norfil Foundation, tel.nos. 372-3577 to 79. Malou Agsaluna