Washington Courts: Press Release Detail

Washington Judges and Adoption Workers Help Foster Children Join New Families This Week For National Adoption Day

State Supreme Court issues rare proclamation

Superior court judges and adoption workers across Washington are joining courts and communities from around the U.S. this week in finalizing adoptions of foster children into new families, celebrating National Adoption Day and all families that open their hearts and give children new homes. Washington courts and communities are hosting events on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

National Adoption Day was founded in 2000 by a coalition of child welfare agencies to draw attention to the thousands of foster children waiting for adoption in the U.S. In Washington, nearly 1,100 foster children have permanently lost their parents and are waiting to be adopted into new families. Superior courts celebrating National Adoption Day this year include Chelan/Douglas, Clark, King, Kitsap, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane and Thurston. Other courts and communities have expressed interest in the events and say they plan to celebrate adoptive families next year.

The Washington Supreme Court issued a rare proclamation honoring Nov. 17 and 18 as National Adoption Days in Washington. “This effort will provide children an opportunity to become part of stable and permanent homes and will encourage more Washington families to make a difference in the life of a child through adoption,” the proclamation reads.

National Adoption Day celebrations in Washington are encouraged by the Washington Supreme Court’s new Commission on Children in Foster Care, and supported by the Superior Court Judges’ Association, the Department of Social and Health Services, Northwest Adoption Exchange, and the Washington State Bar Association.