adoption Archives - Amara
School-aged children sitting together on the floor

Why the Census Matters for Adoptees and Their Birth Families

Did you know that Confidential Intermediaries who help adoptees and birth families search and reunite with each other use USA census information? This critical list of demographic and household information is released for use in searches every 10 years and provides needed details on individuals and households that support successful searches. It is imperative that

First Few Days

The First Few Days

The first few days of foster care are a time of great adjustment for everyone involved. There can be big feelings for both foster parents and children and youth. In this episode of The Amara Podcast, we explore what those first few days feel like.

hands making a heart

Take Action: Speak Out Against Discrimination

As a member of the Amara family, you know our mission is to prioritize the wellbeing of children in foster care and adoptees; and support the families who love them. And who are the “families who love them”? Foster families, birth/first families, and adoptive families; as well as kinship caregivers.  All people need and deserve

Biron Family

Build a Bigger Table

Too often in foster care, I’ve seen “saviorism attitudes”, where the focus is on the foster parents and how their actions “saved” the child in their care. But foster care isn’t about saving a child – or even saving a family. It’s about coming alongside another family and doing the messy work of building real relationships.

Angela Tucker in an office holding her published paper

We’re Published! The Inclusive Family Support Model

We are so proud to see Amara’s Post-Adoption work published in the Journal of Child and Family Social Work! The Inclusive Family Support Model (IFSM) was conceived and authored by our director of Post-Adoption Services, Angela Tucker and Dr. JaeRan Kim of the University of Washington Tacoma.

family eating ice-cream

Instant Family – To See or Not to See?

Instant Family is a new film in theaters now that chronicles one couple’s journey becoming foster parents in the hopes of adopting. The film is based on director Sean Anders’ personal experience adopting three siblings from foster care with his wife. It has received a warm welcome from online reviewers and has been lauded by

woman looking at file

Born and Adopted in the 1950s: What We’re Learning from Project Search & Reunion

by Maureen McCauley Amara’s Post-Adoption program has created an important new initiative: Project Search and Reunion.* Under the leadership of our Director of Post-Adoption, Angela Tucker, we are looking through literally thousands of files to ensure that adoptees and birth parents receive the information and support they wanted, especially in regard to searching for their

adult and child hands

Trey and Jen’s Fostering Experience

We sat down with two Amara staff who are also proud Foster Parents and part of the LGBTQ+ community. They talk about their experiences as foster parents, Amara’s participation in the 2018 Pride Parade, and advice for people in the LGBTQ+  community interested in becoming foster parents.

three people smiling

My Mind Was So Loaded, It Nearly Exploded

by Angela Tucker, Director of Post-Adoption Services It’s 2:30am on Tuesday morning and Lucretia is doing laundry while humming the tune of The Band Played On, a popular song of 1895. Casey would waltz with a strawberry blonde And the band played on. He’d glide ‘cross the floor with the girl he adored And the