LCFS SEEKING FAMILIES TO ADOPT MINORITY CHILDREN

Representatives from the Lutheran Family and Children's Services dissolved a few myths about adoption Sunday for about 45 people at Southeast's University Center.

The members of both the St. Louis and the Cape Girardeau chapters of LFCS were at the university for a seminar to discuss the option of adopting African-American or bi-racial children.

Even while they were appealing on behalf of these children they made it clear that adoptive families of another race have to be prepared."Sometimes they think that love will conquer all," Yolanda Rodgers, an adoption social worker for LFCS-St. Louis, said. "But racism is still out there and they have to be prepared for that. If a person has never experienced racism they may not know how to deal with it."Rodgers said LFCS has placed 13 African-American or bi-racial children into homes this year and 22 total last year, most going to African-American families.

One issue they did put to rest was whether a birth-parent can change her mind after the adoption and try to take the child back. Rodgers said Missouri requires a waiting period for birth-mothers of about 48 hours and the signed consent of both parents relinquishing their parental rights. Birth parents sign away their parental rights at that point.

She said many times LFCS works with both the birth and adopting families for many months before the child is born.

Another issue resolved is whether people have to be married or own a home to adopt a child. Single people living in apartments can adopt if they meet the rest of the criteria."Basically what we're looking for is people who can provide a loving, stable environment," Rodgers said. "We're looking for people who can take care of a child on their income and also without any added assistance from the state."Molly Strickland, an adoption social worker for the Cape Girardeau LFCS, stressed that adoption is not about giving a child away but giving a child the opportunity to have a better life than the birth-parents can provide.

LFCS conducts an exhaustive investigation into the backgrounds of both the parents and the adoptive family.