Foundation For Large Families
Sharon Meyer is the founder of The Foundation for Large Families.
You can reach her at hvngate@cfl.rr.com
The Foundation For Large Families was started in 1997 as a support group for the large adoptive family. Over the years our goals have broadened as we began to address the policies that go along with adoption.
We have made numerous phone calls and written numerous letters on behalf of families who have been told outright by agencies that they (the agency) would not be able to do a homestudy because their family was too large.
We believe ALL families have the right to go through the homestudy process first and then have a decision made on whether or not the adoption of another child is possible. After all, that’s what a homestudy is all about.
On behalf of families we have even had to address letters to judges who have refused to finalize the adoption of children. If a judge is allowed to refuse to finalize a non-contested adoption then what is the use of a homestudy and supervisory visits by the agency?
We also have many families who are able to successfully pass through the homestudy phase only to be repeatedly turned down by placing agencies who feel 7, 8, or 9 children are way too many already. Somewhere within this magic number of children social workers begin to question the validity of whether or not a family can function as a “REAL FAMILY.“ Most of us laugh at that term as we have and are functioning as a “REAL FAMILY” with 15 or more children who have various degrees of special needs.
Today, while agencies are screaming, “We need more foster/adoptive families," they are over-looking their most valuable resource: the already large family.
Families who have more experience because of their prior adoptions are less likely to disrupt an adoption. They know where to turn for help when needed. They also know what is just a phase in a child’s life opposed to when a child needs therapeutic help.
What may seem overwhelming to a small family is not for a large family. We are professional parents who have been accredited by the children we are raising. Many of us have joyfully adopted a child who has repeatedly been turned down for adoption by other families. We take great pride in our children and our families. We know how to love a child who appears not to want to be loved. We can love a child even knowing we may never be loved back.
The next time you hear of a child that is considered hard to place, contact a large adoptive family. More than likely, they will know of a family willing to adopt that child.
Remember: We Are Your Greatest Resource.
Here are some other links that you might be interested in:
NEW!! "A Labor of Love: Caregiver Adopts 10 Children" is an article/show from Good Morning America, shown on March 3, 2008.
I just found this adoption website, and it has some GREAT articles. It is: Adoption Under One Roof “ Covering adoption from every angle, every view, for everyone.” It’s summary says, “The founders of Adoption Under One Roof are all veteran bloggers who have for years been working under the burden of limited vision in an environment of exclusion. Our accumulated experience is vast and deep, and our commitment to building a dynamic online community that will make the adoption world a better place is solid.”
NEW website: And, here is one more site to find "Books, Articles, Free Workbooks, Kids Projects, Free Art, Adoption Celebration Ceremony…etc." It is called: Sherrie Eldridge, "Making forever fingerprints on hearts touched by adoption."
ALSO NEW!! Books on adoption. EMK Press is a publisher of books for children and families whose lives have been touched by adoption, either domestic or international. This site has "Tools and Resources for Adoptive Families and the Professionals Who Help Them." One resource on their site is a letter written by a mom who has a child with FASD. It is called, "The ABC's of Back to School with FASD. From a mothers heart." It would be an informative letter to any new teacher for any of our children with FAS or FAE.
| Meet Some of Our Families
Such as: The Hutton Family |
Resources for Large Families
Links to websites that help you make homemade equipment, etc. for children with special needs. |
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Large Family films & Documentaries
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Results of a Large Familys' Poll.
Also: "Large Family Views About Adoption" |
"Heloise"
for Large Families
Household hints, financial advice, etc. New: Raising a Large Family on One Income- |
Just For the Fun of It
"You Know You are a FFLF Family When..." |
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Books about Large Families
5/21/04 Seventeen Little Miracles: Fun and Success in a Family With 17 Children |
Misc. Articles
20 so far!! Such as: The Sibling Bond, "Fragile as Crystal" by SharonAND The Pro's and Con's of Large Families |
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Articles about some
Wonderful Large Families
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Voices of the Children
Articles written by and/or about children who grew up in large families. Check out Joey's stories. Joey is Sharon's son. |
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Parenting Information
Such as: Raising the Post-Institutionalized Child & The Inner World of the Adopted Child |
Families Who Have Been There... Ever wonder "What happened to_____?" "older" families, who have already finished their parenting days. |
11 Questions/Comments about Large Families. You can go to this list and copy/print the list, & add your own answers to give to your caseworker. You also might want to have the list with your answers put into your homestudy. We'd also like to have a copy of your answers.
Here are some Answers to 11 Questions/Comments about Large Families , written by some large family parents.
Information email: adoptn@yahoo.com
Visitors to our site since May 1, 2001.