|
Court is normally
closed on Saturday but the judges, attorneys, social
workers and court staffers volunteer their time to hold
the hearings...
| The goal of Dependency
Court is to assure the safety and well being of
children. If the parents are found to be unable
to care for their children, they are offered reunification
services to enable them to reunify with their
children. When reunification is not possible,
the Court provides the children with a permanent
plan. The choices
are as follows: long term foster care, guardianship
or adoption. The
Courts favor adoption as that is the most permanent
plan of the three choices.
At the (July 28, 2001)
Saturday Adoption Day in Los Angeles County, Andrew
Bridge* (former CEO/General Counsel for The Alliance
for Children's Rights), stated the following:
| "We
ought to be happy today.
For hundreds
of children today, a harsh, unforgiving
road has reached its end and long awaited
rescuers have arrived. An extraordinary
second chance at a childhood and a future
has begun.
Yet, we ought
to remember what we asked of the children
along the way: we expected them to endure
unfathomable loneliness, possess courage
few of us have, and in the end, outlast
every assault a heart can take.
If only for
a moment, we should remember their bravery
and undaunted laughter." |
| *Andrew
Bridge grew-up in Los Angeles County foster
care from age 6 to 17. He received his BA
from Wesleyan University, his JD from Harvard
Law School and was a Fulbright Scholar. Mr.
Bridge is devoted to helping abused and neglected
children through his leadership in the non-profit
organization, The Alliance for Children's
Rights. |
|
| 
|
In
April, 1998, the Court began a program of completing
the adoption process by having an "Adoption
Saturday". Hundreds of adoptions are finalized
on just one day through the joint efforts of the
Court, DCFS, The Alliance for Children's Rights,
Public Counsel, Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher, as
well as other private law firms. CCK is very pleased
to be part of this team effort by supplying Teddy
Bears for each child who is being adopted as well
as for any siblings who are present in Court.
Throughout the year, days are set aside for "Adoption
Day" wherein 40 or 50 adoptions take place
on just one day in one courtroom. CCK provides
Teddy Bears for these hearings, too. |
| |
The
very abstract idea of "adoption" is
made understandable for the children as they choose
a Teddy Bear to take home, as their own "forever",
and the process that their parents and they are
experiencing, as they are being made part of a
family, "forever". And for the parents,
the Teddy Bear is a symbolic reminder of this
very important day as well as a reminder of the
care and concern of the Court for the welfare
of each and every child. |
| |
To
learn about Adoption Saturday in Lancaster,
California, click
here.
To learn
about our February 1st, 2003 Adoption Saturday
in Los Angeles, California, click
here. |
The depiction of any children on this website does not
constitute a violation of WIC 827, California Rule of
Court 1423 of Los Angeles Superior Court Dependency Court
Rules Chapter 17.2, Sections (e) and (f).
| The Teddy
Bear ... a universal symbol of love and affection...® |
 |
| |
TOP
OF PAGE |
|
