VOICES FROM CARE: PRESS-RELEASE

Adopt4Life to publish stories by Children and Youth in and from care throughout May 2015 for Children and Youth in Care Day’s month. The Children and Youth in Care month stories will be the 3rd social media outreach campaign. #CYICMonth

Throughout May, Ontario’s Association for Adoptive Families will use Children and Youth in Care Day’s month of May to provide narratives from children and youth in and from care that give insight into their lives and experiences regarding various topics, such as, education, permanency, and education.

Toronto, Ontario, May 1, 2015 – Today Adopt4Life, Ontario’s non-profit Association for Adoptive Families, announced the start of Voices From Care; an outreach campaign through social media channels.  Coinciding with Children and Youth in Care Day’s month, the awareness campaign will highlight the experiences of young people in and from care.  

This campaign is to celebrate the lives of young people who have grown up in and around care, whether they were adopted, in the foster or group care system, or are a part of ‘heart families’.

The first story that will be posted on May 4, 2015 on Adopt4Life’s website www.Adopt4Life.com is by a young person from care who identifies with the LGBTQ community, specifically the Trans community. He speaks about his experiences growing up in care, and shares his conceptualization of what Permanency means. The Adopt4Life website will feature 3+ stories per week in the month of May and will also be shared through its twitter handle, @adopt4lifeON, and Facebook page. Note that all stories will only publish the first names, and in some cases pseudonyms, of young people in order to protect the requested privacy of individuals.

Adopt4Life believes Ontario can do better in ensuring successful outcomes for children and youth in and from care, and believes every young person has the right to permanency and lives without discrimination for being from the care system.

About Adopt4Life

Adopt4life is Ontario’s voice for adoptive families. We advocate at the government level for an improved adoption process and for better services, and provide support and guidance to adoptive families from the moment they are “Adopt Paper Ready” throughout their parenting journey. Inclusive of ALL Ontario adoptive parents, including: public, private, international, kin care, customary care and moral adoption.