Child Welfare Information Gateway E-lert! November 2009

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The following new or updated publications and resources are now available from Child Welfare Information Gateway. Use the links listed below, or contact us to request a print copy, if available.

November Is National Adoption Month

There are 130,000 children and youth waiting to be adopted. National Adoption Month urges Americans to "Answer the Call" to adopt children and youth from foster care.

The national adoption recruitment campaign theme of "You don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent" continues in the Ad Council's latest public service announcements. This award-winning campaign is the result of a partnership of the Children's Bureau, the Ad Council, and AdoptUsKids. The ads promote finding homes for African-American children in care by featuring humorous everyday scenarios illustrating that parents need not be perfect to offer a "forever family" to a waiting child.

Visit the 2009 National Adoption Month website at www.childwelfare.gov/adoption/nam to access adoption information and resources, including:

• A calendar of activities for each day of the month—in both English and Spanish
• Targeted resources for professionals, families, and educators
• Publications from AdoptUsKids
• A Proclamations section, which includes Presidential and State acknowledgments of November as National Adoption Month

View the AdoptUsKids' national photolisting of children and youth waiting for homes:
www.adoptuskids.org

States, Tribes, and adoption agencies looking for resources, training, and technical assistance on a variety of adoption topics can go to the National Resource Center for Adoption website:
www.nrcadoption.org

What's New

Adoption USA: A Chartbook Based on the 2007 National Survey of Adoptive Parents

The National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) is a representative survey of U.S. children under age 18. In each sampled household, one child was randomly selected. A parent or guardian familiar with the child's health answered questions by telephone about the child's and the family's health and well-being and provided information about demographic characteristics. The 2007 NSCH includes information on 91,642 focal children, representing 73.8 million children throughout the United States.

http://bit.ly/1LQ4cr

Related Organizations List: Youth Involved With Child Welfare

This list includes resources for youth about advocacy, employment, family connections, health care, legal issues, mentoring, pregnancy, and more.

www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/reslist/rl_dsp.cfm?rs_id=29&rate_chno=19-00131

Substance-Exposed Infants: State Responses to the Problem

This study from the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare assessed State policy from the broadest perspective: prevention, intervention, identification, and treatment of prenatal substance exposure, including immediate and ongoing services for the infant, the mother, and the family.

www.ncsacw.samhsa.gov/files/Substance-Exposed-Infants.pdf

In This Month's CBX

National Adoption Month is the spotlight topic in the November issue of Children's Bureau Express (CBX). Learn more about this Federal initiative, how agencies celebrate National Adoption Month, and the latest adoption resources and research.

CBX covers news, issues, and trends of interest to professionals and policymakers in the interrelated fields of child abuse and neglect, child welfare, and adoption.

cbexpress.acf.hhs.gov

Subscribe to CBX at www.childwelfare.gov/admin/subscribe

Did You Know?

The Federal Interagency Workgroup on Child Abuse and Neglect, which represents more than 40 Federal agencies, presents monthly webinars on topics related to child abuse prevention. The latest webinars focus on preventing sexual abuse of children through collaboration, reducing the risk and impact of maltreatment on very young children, and the Safe Start Initiative to help children exposed to violence.

To view previous webinars and transcripts, visit www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/fediawg/webinars/index.htm