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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Contact: ACF Press Office
(202) 401-9215
HHS and Partners Launch Spanish-Language Campaign to Encourage Adoption
More than 16,000 Hispanic children in foster care need permanent homes
HHS’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF), in partnership with the Adoption Exchange Association, the Collaboration to Adoptuskids and the Advertising Council, today launched a national Spanish-language advertising campaign to promote adoption from foster care.
The public service advertising (PSA) campaign is designed to increase public awareness among Hispanics about adoption and to encourage prospective parents to adopt children from foster care.
“Every child deserves to be part of a loving family,” said Dr. Wade F. Horn, HHS’ assistant secretary for children and families. “We need to make prospective parents aware that information and support on adoption is available in Spanish and that moms and dads don’t need a large home or big bank account to qualify to adopt a child from foster care.”
A significant number of Hispanic children are in the U.S. foster care system in need of finding a permanent, loving home. Currently, about 523,000 children are in foster care, about 91,000 of whom are Hispanic. However, not all of these children are eligible for adoption; of the 118,000 children who are eligible for adoption, about 16,000 are Hispanic.
It is important to reduce the number who “age out” of the foster care system each year, since research shows that children who are not placed in permanent homes are less likely to graduate from high school and are at greater risk for homelessness, incarceration and reliance on welfare.
The Spanish-language PSAs address specific barriers that prevent many families from considering adoption. For example, the campaign highlights that information is available in Spanish, and the adoption process is not as difficult as many perceive it to be. The emotionally moving spots show Hispanic children in everyday activities, such as playing soccer or combing their hair, while having conversations with an imaginary parent. The PSAs encourage prospective parents to call 1-877-ADOPTE1 (1-877-236-7831) or visit www.adopte1.org for additional information in Spanish.
“I am thrilled to be working with HHS and Adoptuskids on this wonderful new Spanish effort for our adoption campaign,” said Peggy Conlon, president and CEO of the Ad Council. “I hope that after seeing these ads all Americans will consider adopting a child.”
The PSAs were created pro-bono by the Miami advertising agency Beber Silverstein Group (BSG). Per the Ad Council model, the PSAs will run in advertising time and space donated by the media around the country.
“Each time the PSA airs, a child may find a permanent home with loving parents. You can’t market anything more wonderful than that,” said Jan Hommes, president of BSG.
The Adoptuskids web site, www.adoptuskids.org, was launched in July 2002 to link children in foster care with families across the United States. The site features photographs and biographies of some 9,000 children in foster care and directs interested families to the appropriate state agency for information about the children. Already almost 5,000 children featured on the site have been placed with permanent families.
For more information in Spanish about this campaign or about becoming a parent to a child from foster care, visit www.adopte1.org or call toll-free at 1-877-ADOPTE1 (1-877-236-7831). For more information on the Ad Council, go to: http://www.adcouncil.org.
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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news