Message from Cassandra Holtzmann, Executive Director

Greetings -

November is National Adoption Month and is celebrated locally by Summit County Children Services (SCCS). Our agency is always looking for new ways to create and increase awareness of adoption issues, especially bringing attention to the need for adoptive families for teens in the care of SCCS. These youth need permanency, and most importantly they need a family to call their own! With over 900 children in agency custody and more than 200 children in the agency’s permanent custody, it is essential to work together to ensure positive outcomes for our youth.  

Every child deserves a safe and permanent family. At SCCS, we continue to work hard with those youth who are without a family to secure lifelong connections and relationships. We ask those in our community interested in foster care and adoption to 'Be the Reason' a child is loved and has a family.   

Once again, I thank you for the continued support to our mission of safety, permanency. and well-being for children and families in Summit County.  

Though November is a time to start preparing for and celebrating upcoming holidays, it’s also a time to be thankful for and celebrate adoption and help children find their forever families. November is observed across the country as National Adoption Month, a time to recognize adoptive families and to raise awareness about the need for more families to provide permanency to children by opening their hearts and sharing their homes. 

National Adoption Month provides an opportunity to recognize what is being done to find permanency for children … the work done by those who support children in foster care, birth parents, and parents seeking to adopt. Collectively, they are working to improve adoption in our nation and locally and ensuring that all children have safe and loving homes.

Though all aspects are equally as important during National Adoption Month, the focus of this month is to draw attention to the hundreds of thousands of children that remain in foster care in the United States and to help place them with permanent families. Currently, it is estimated that in the U.S. alone, around 400,000 children are a part of the foster care system. Here in Ohio, there are nearly 15,000 children in foster care with more than 3,400 waiting to be adopted. Locally, Currently, there are more than 200 children in the permanent custody of Summit County Children Services (SCCS), and about a third of these children have no specific plan for permanency.

You can ‘be the reason’ a child finds permanency in their lives. Consider opening your heart and sharing your home to a child in need. For more information, visit summitkids.org or call (330) 379-1990.

Meet Brooklyn

Foster Parent Trainings

January - March 2024

Linked below is the ongoing foster parent training schedule. Register through CAPS LMS.

Online training hours continue to be available through the Foster Parent College. Please check with your coordinator about the number of hours you should take online. Contact Vickie Webb or Kim Gear to register for a Foster Parent College account if you don't already have one. 

The Ohio Child Welfare Training Program (OCWTP) is also offering additional online trainings. You can see more details on their website.

REMINDER TO FOSTER PARENTS: Please remember to bring your agency badge with you when you come to the agency. To enter the campus, swipe your badge at the reader panel to the left in front of the gate. To enter the Education Building, swipe your badge in front of the reader panel to the right of the doors. Campus visitors are restricted to those who are scheduled for training or business on campus.

SAVE THE DATE!

Annual Foster Parent Training Conference

April 18-20

PLAN TO JOIN US!

SCCS is excited to host its Annual 'Winter Wonderland' Drive-Thru event

for foster and kinship families on Friday, December 8 at the agency.

FAMILIES MUST REGISTER IN ADVANCE TO ATTEND!

Deadline to register is Wednesday, November 17.

Join us for this virtual open house style event

for interested foster parents.

Who do you know who might be interested in foster care! Who do you know who has a big heart filled with love for kids? Who do you know who wants to make a difference in a child's life?

Current SCCS foster parents are encouraged to invite others who want to learn more about foster care to our upcoming virtual Open House event. Guests will hear from a panel of foster parents who will share their personal stories and experiences. So they will hear firsthand what it's like being a foster parent. In addition, staff will explain in more detail about the process and share information about the support provided by the agency.

When:

Tuesday, November 14, 6-7 p.m.

Where:

via Zoom Meeting

(advance registration is required; Zoom instructions will be sent)

How to Register:

Online (link below) or call (330) 379-1990

Summit County Children Services will be out and about at several upcoming community events through the end of the year. Be sure to stop by the booth!

Thursday, November 16, 5-8 p.m.

Buchtel Harvest Festival

Buchtel Community Learning Center

1040 Copley Road, Akron

Friday, November 17, 4-8 p.m.

Opening of Trolls Band Together Movie

Lake 8 Movies

588 W. Tuscarawas Avenue, Barberton

Saturday, December 2, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Elevate Akron Yoga Festival

Our Lady of the Elms High School

1375 W. Exchange Street, Akron

Friday, December 15, 4-8 p.m.

Opening of the Wonka Movie

Lake 8 Movies

588 W. Tuscarawas Avenue, Barberton

FCA Information Meetings held via Zoom

Virtual Information Meetings are held each month via Zoom Meeting

for those who are interested in learning more about foster care and adoption with SCCS. Staff will review the process, requirements and share

information about the types of children who enter agency custody.

Advance registration in required at

Foster Care & Adoption Inquiry Form | SCCS (summitkids.org).

Matthew & Brittany Bachmann

Gary & Jennifer Behrend

Cory Hatfield & Megan Gossett

Michael & Brittany Fajt

Ian & Haley MacEwen

Justin & Shanon Miller

Eric & Kristina Roegner

Mistique Von Stein