Loving Families Sought for Many Children

As the judge assigned to the dependency calendar of the Superior Court, I preside over all cases involving abused and neglected children in Ventura County. Unfortunately, our caseload is large.

These cases fill my courtroom four days a week, and many weeks spill over into the fifth court day.

In California each year we have almost 450,000 cases of child abuse reported and more than 45,000 court filings alleging child abuse or neglect. It is a staggering number.

Even more troubling is to stop and realize that each one of those cases represents a child.

We all agree that is too many--and as a result of these cases, we have thousands of children living away from their families. Many of them are in foster care and unfortunately have been there for more than five years.

These kids have a right to a permanent and stable home. They have a right to parents who will guide, protect and love them. And for these children, that means finding a family willing to make this commitment in a proceeding we all know as adoption.

The best part of my assignment is the Friday afternoon adoption calendar. In November, proclaimed Court Adoption and Permanency Month by California Supreme Court Justice Ronald M. George, we will focus on adoption and permanency for children.

I invite you to visit Courtroom 47 on Friday at 1:30 p.m. for a special event. We will be opening our normally confidential proceeding to the public as a way to say “This is important. Think about adoption. Think about bringing a child into your life.”

What do the perfect adoptive parents look like? They may be short or tall. They come in all colors and sizes. They speak different languages and are a variety of ages.

The California Department of Social Services brochure titled “A Guide to California Adoptions” describes adoptive parents as “flexible, patient, loving, caring, committed and capable of dealing with changes in their expectations and lifestyles.” Someone who will, above all, value the newly adopted child and appreciate that child’s unique qualities.

I see these special people each week on my adoption calendar. Join us on Friday. Celebrate with us. It may be one of the few times any of us can visit a courtroom and leave smiling.