Category: Adoptee

DOMESTIC SPECIAL NEEDS ADOPTION AT SPENCE-CHAPIN: WHO CHOOSES THE ADOPTIVE FAMILY?

Families often have questions about what the matching process is like in our Domestic Special Needs Adoption Program. Similar to Spence-Chapin’s Domestic Infant Adoption Program, the matching process in our Domestic Special Needs Program is driven by birth family whenever possible. Spence-Chapin’s Domestic Special Needs Adoption Program (formerly called ASAP – A Special Adoption Program) […]

REFLECTIONS ON SPENCE-CHAPIN HISTORY DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Written by Antoinette Cockerham (COO) This month as we celebrate Black History Month, I have found myself taking time to reflect on the history of African American adoption, the role that Spence-Chapin has played in that history, and the many encouraging changes I have witnessed in my 25+ career working in adoption. A little over […]

SPENCE-CHAPIN, A LEADER IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND BLACK INFANT ADOPTION

Spence-Chapin has been a leader in African-American and Black infant adoption and recruiting African-American adoptive parents. In honor of Black History Month, we revisit the efforts made by those who have fought to break barriers, making African-American and Black children from all parts of the world a focus and a priority. In the 1940’s, Gladys Randolph, former […]

ADOPTION IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR

In November of 2005, Ed Gordon of National Public Radio (NPR) sat down with Spence-Chapin’s then-Assistant Director of Domestic Adoption Antoinette “Toni” Cockerham and Spence-Chapin adoptive parent Lisha Epperson about African American adoption. Their conversation highlights the history of African American Adoption at Spence-Chapin, some of its challenges at the time, as well as its […]

LETTER FROM A BIRTH MOTHER

by Latoya Sinclair July 24th is my son’s birthday. He turned 7 this year and it pains me because I know he is no longer just a baby, but a big boy who is growing into his own personality. What hurts me is that I am not able to hear his voice; I haven’t heard […]

REFLECTING ON BIRTH PARENTS AND PLACING A CHILD IN ADOPTION

As a social worker in the International Department at Spence-Chapin, I’ve been enlightened by so many aspects of adoption: the way hearts of adoptive parents can break, heal, stretch, and grow; the tenacious resiliency of children; and the conflicted governments who don’t always recognize the fate they hold in their hands. But, I had not, […]