Though National Adoption Month

ended Sunday, there are still thousands upon thousands of children who

need to be adopted. While the following web sites only represent the tip

of the iceberg when it comes to adoption information, they are excellent

places to start.

The Georgia Department of Human

Resources Office of Adoption web site is the first place to start. The

site offers lots of great information from both staff and adoptive parents

who have been through the process. The office was created in 1997 to double

the number of special needs adoptions by 2002. In 1997 there were 656

adoptions and by 2000 there were 1,164 adoptions. Those interested in

adopting children, can view pictures and profiles of available children,

be walked through the process step by step and learn more about some of

the other programs available.

There are currently 236 children

currently waiting to be adopted, many of them either in sibling groups

or with special needs. In honor of National Adoption Month, there was

a ceremony last Saturday where 35 adoptions were finalized. For more information

on the Georgia Department of Human Resources Office of Adoption, visit

www.adoptions.dhr.state.ga.us or phone 877-210-KIDS.

Another local site is the Georgia

Baptist Children's Homes and Family Ministries, Inc.'s Web site.

They provide residential services to abused, neglected and troubled children

in Georgia. Among the services they offer are adoption and foster care

opportunities. Their Web site is www.gbchfm.org and information is also

available at 1-888-545-8299.

The final Web site to examine

is from the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse. This site offers

a wealth of information for everyone involved in adoption. In addition

to a section for prospective adoptive parents, there are pages for birth

parents and relatives and people who have been adopted. There is a National

Adoption Directory, databases and much more. The site is located at naic.acf.hhs.gov/index.cfm.

There are hundreds of thousands

of adoption web sites out there to look at and there are many helpful

books available at your local library and bookstore. They key is to research

adoption thoroughly, weigh every decision carefully and stay organized.

Adoption can be a long, expensive process that can often be mentally and

emotionally taxing. The more you know, the easier the process should be.