[blparent] Seeking parents who are blind and who adopted

[Pickrell, Rebecca M (IS)]

A couple thoughts here; 
1. It sounds like you want a child past the toddler phase, one who can
walk and talk reliably and who is also blind/ has low vision. This is a
tall order, there just not be that many children up for adoption
matching that criteria. 
I'm curious as to why you think this is a discriminatory blindness
issue? 
2. Have you asked a social worker you trust to do some dry-run
interviews with you? It might be that you are or are not saying
something that is giving somebody the willies, something like "We want
an older child because we don't want to get up at night with a baby." or
"we want an older child because we need a child to talk so we know what
he/she needs". 
You are to be commended for your honesty in your openness in wanting to
be more then a medical guardian. 
I'd be curious to know why you want a blind or low-vision child? All
children need loving homes. Why are blind or low vision kids of special
concern to you? 
There is a blind couple Buddy and Melanie Brennan who have adopted a
child from the Ukraine. I don't know if their daughter is blind or not.
I don't have Buddy's email address, but he is on the NAGDU list. Perhaps
you can Google for him and send him a note. 
Good luck to you. 

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Sherry DeFrancesco
Sent: Saturday, August 29, 2009 4:43 PM
To: blparent at nfbnet.org
Subject: [blparent] Seeking parents who are blind and who adopted

Dear Blind Parent Listers, 

We are a married couple that is totally blind, and have been trying to
adopt a child that is blind or visually impaired for the past two years.
It has been a long and exhausting journey due to misconceptions and
false beliefs about the abilities of parents who are blind. We have a
New York state Foster Parent License, and a completed home study for
international adoption. We have tried the New York foster care system,
as well as International adoption agencies. New York state did not
locate a child that is blind or vision impaired in the NY state foster
care system, and we have been turned down by China, India and Russia.
There are thousands of blind and vision impaired children out there all
over the world who need loving homes including right here in the United
States. If anyone out there has any information where we can find blind
or vision impaired children in the U.S. in need of a forever family, or
successfully adopted a child either domestically or internationally, and
can lend some advice/guidance and/or resources to locate the support and
understanding that we will need to complete a successful adoption,
please contact me privately if you are willing at:
sdefrancesco at optonline.net

I am also willing to discuss on the list if appropriate, however, a
private conversation may be more appropriate-either way is fine with me.


Thank you. 

Best wishes ~ Sherry DeFrancesco
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