Child Welfare Review Panel ReportMayor Nutter Announces 11% Increase in Adoptions
NEWS NEWS
MAYOR'S OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
Monday, January 12, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAYOR NUTTER ANNOUNCES 11% INCREASE IN ADOPTIONS
Philadelphia, January 12th – Today, Mayor Michael A. Nutter, DHS Commissioner Anne Marie Ambrose, and Administrative Family Court Judge Kevin Dougherty announced an 11% increase in adoptions, the first gain in 4 years. This surpasses the goal set in the spring to increase adoptions by 10%. The number of Permanent Legal Custodianships also increased by 9% in 2008, the first gain since 2005. These placements contributed to the lowest number of Philadelphia children in foster care in nearly 20 years. In 2000, there were nearly 8,000 Philadelphia children in foster care; today, there are fewer than 5,800, 28% fewer.
“Every child in Philadelphia deserves a safe, loving, and permanent family,” said Mayor Nutter. “Because of the efforts of Commissioner Ambrose and the Family Court system, this will now be a reality for more young people.”
More than 750 Philadelphia children left foster care in calendar year 2008 through adoption or permanent custodianship. Another 1,282 children were able to safely return to their original family. This change is significant for these children because it provides them with the permanent family every child deserves and DHS permission will no longer been needed to do things others take for granted - travel across state lines, go on a school field trip, sleep over at a friend’s house or even get a school picture taken.
“The goals of DHS are child safety, permanency and well-being. Ensuring children and youth have a loving, forever home accomplishes all three,” said Commissioner Ambrose.
"We are proud of the increase in adoptions in Philadelphia,” said Judge Dougherty. “At Family Court, the goal of our judges and staff is to first and foremost keep families together, but when that outcome is not achievable we aim to build a family out of individuals who can provide the love and nourishing so important to raising healthy and responsible children."
In 2008, the number of both adoptions and Permanent Legal Custodianships rose in absolute numbers and as a share of the total number in foster care.
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