Each year November is recognized as National Adoption Awareness Month.

The month means a great deal in Dallas County, Probate Judge Kim Ballard said, because of the high number of adoptions.

So far in 2010 there have been 16 completed adoptions with several more to be heard in the month of December. Ballard said it is extremely satisfying to help children be placed in a loving home.

“One of the best parts of my job is to grant petitions to adopt filed by deserving petitioners who are giving permanent stable homes to children who would otherwise not have them,” he said. “It is a pleasure for me to serve Dallas County in this capacity”

The court hears all kinds of adoption requests including private adoptions, step parent adoptions, closely related adoptions or Department of Human Resource adoptions.

Attorney for petitioners Jana Russell Garner, who has practiced in this circuit for 13 years, said seeing the process come to fruition makes all the hard work worthwhile.

“To be a part of the happiness and celebration of the birth of a new family unit gives me great joy,” she said.

Dallas County Department of Human Resources Social Services case worker Andrea Dudley, whose job is to recruit and license foster and adoptive resources, said there have been seven DHR adoptions so far in 2010. An additional five families have been trained and approved as adoptive parents.

Twenty nine foster parents have also been approved and licensed.

Currently, the Dallas County Department of Human Resources has only one child who is waiting to be adopted.

Activities and celebrations for the monthlong celebration are kicked off with a presidential proclamation, and followed by widespread efforts made at the national level to build awareness of adoption, participation in local programs, events, and activities by those with a direct connection to adoption.

Those interested in learning more about fostering and adoptions may visit www.adoptuskids.org to view children all over the United States who are currently waiting to be adopted