Wendy Lane and Tapestry Books Resource Associate Christopher Fancher recently had a chance to share information about their respective initiatives with many child welfare professionals.
As a New York State Authorized non-profit adoption agency, Adoption STAR works closely with the New York State Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS).
As per their website, “OCFS is responsible for programs and services involving foster care, adoption and adoption assistance, child protective services including operating the Statewide Central Register for Child Abuse and Maltreatment, preventive services for children and families, services for pregnant adolescents, and protective programs for vulnerable adults.”
Adoption STAR staff has regular meetings with OCFS representatives, as they oversee the agencies work and re-authorize us to provide adoption-related services to adoptive parents, birth parents and adoptees. At two separate meetings last week, OCFS’ Buffalo Regional Office invited Wendy Lane and Tapestry Books Resource Associate Christopher Fancher to be guest speakers.
The child welfare professionals in attendance at these meetings were thrilled to hear about the post adoption support services that Family STAR is offering. Wendy shared that Family STAR exists to provide post adoption support services to any member of the adoption triad in need of assistance. Family STAR believes that adoption is a lifelong journey, and is therefore a part of someone’s “story” forever, regardless of his or her specific connection to adoption. As a result, Family STAR is committed to offering education, counseling, referrals, support groups or activities to assist anyone in the community touched by adoption – whether they are Adoption STAR clients or not. To learn more about Family STAR, visit their website: http://www.family-star.com
Similarly, meeting attendees were also pleased to hear from Chris, as Tapestry Books is the premier on-line resource for adoption-related books, information and more. Chris talked about how Tapestry Books has quickly become one of the most prominent sites for adoption books and adoption-related resources on the Internet. With topics including but not limited to domestic and international adoption, open and closed adoption, transracial adoption, kinship adoption, foster care adoption – Tapestry Books encompasses the entire adoption journey. To learn more about Tapestry Books, visit their website: http://www.tapestrybooks.com
Thank you to Wendy, Chris, and the staff at OCFS’s Buffalo Regional Office for the opportunity! Family STAR and Tapestry Books have so much to offer, and now child welfare professionals across Western New York are more “in the loop” regarding how these programs can benefit families in need of services or information.