Family Partnerships of Central Florida (FPOCF) concluded its Celebration of Adoption ceremonies in Orange County Friday, Nov. 21, where 17 children were adopted by 12 families. The event wrapped up a successful month of adoptions for the child-welfare lead agency, with a total of 40 children adopted during events held in Osceola, Brevard, Seminole and Orange Counties.
“For child-welfare professionals such as myself, there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing children and families united and celebrating the start of a new Forever Family,” said FPOCF President and CEO Phil Scarpelli. “This is our second year of holding the celebrations across the four counties we serve. As Florida continues to grow, we’ll continue to see a need for more foster care and adoptions. Our state has one of the highest adoption numbers in the nation.”
Scarpelli adds that the adoption process involves many dedicated community partners to achieve. The families are supported by a large network of child-welfare professionals and caseworkers, guardian ad litems, attorneys and judicial staff in each of the circuit courts. The time to adoption finalization can vary but can typically be reached in six to 18 months.
A unique feature of the Brevard celebration is it’s at the USSSA Space Coast Complex, where legal proceedings are held on the field. This year, Judge Charles Crawford, Eighteen Circuit Court, presided over the ceremony. At the event’s conclusion, children were invited to run the bases with the stadium mascot. County events also feature face-painting for children, decorative photo areas to capture family portraits, and celebratory cakes and commemorative gifts for the children and families.
Over the past 10 years, FPOCF has helped with more than 4,000 adoptions in the counties served. FPOCF works closely with Camelot Community Care on facilitating the adoption process for families. To learn more about how to adopt, visit www.fpocf.org/adoption or call 407-725-2170.
