Two Berks County residents were honored this week by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) for their commitment to supporting children in need of permanent homes. The recognition came during the 33rd Annual Pennsylvania Permanency Conference, held in Monroe County.
The event brought together child welfare professionals, foster and adoptive families, kinship care providers, and advocates from across the state to share resources and support the ongoing effort to help children find stability and lifelong family connections.
Among this year’s honorees was Shareed Starling of Berks County, who received a Permanent Family Recognition Award for providing legalized permanency for a child involved in the child welfare system. Also recognized was Libby Sanders of Berks County, who earned a Youth Advocate Recognition Award for her efforts in representing and supporting the voices of youth navigating the foster care system.
The annual conference is part of the work of the Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network (SWAN), a program that began in 1992 and has since helped facilitate nearly 59,000 adoptions across Pennsylvania. According to DHS, the state averages about 2,000 finalized adoptions each fiscal year, but thousands of children remain in out-of-home care at any given time, with nearly 3,000 currently in need of forever homes.
“Every year we gather to recognize the dedicated people—county agency staff, foster and adoptive parents, child welfare professionals—who work every day to find Pennsylvania’s children and youth their forever home,” said DHS Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh in a statement. “This work is vital, because every single one of Pennsylvania’s children deserves to grow and thrive in a safe, loving environment.”
The conference also serves as a space for training, support, and matching opportunities between children and prospective adoptive families.
For more information about adoption and fostering in Pennsylvania, visit www.adoptpakids.org or call 1-800-585-SWAN.
