Many children in state available for adoption

SIKESTON -- You don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent.

That's the message adoption agencies, including the local Children's Division, are working to spread now during National Adoption Month.

"We need to spread awareness there are children who currently need to be adopted," said Brenda Miller, adoption specialist for the 33rd Judicial Circuit, which includes Scott and Mississippi counties. "In Missouri, we have approximately 1,600 children available for adoption."

Sometimes, people don't realize that there are children in their own communities looking for homes, said Miller. "These children have been abused or neglected and cannot safely return to their home," she said.

Miller spoke of the need to have adoptive parents in all areas of the state.

"We try to keep (the children) as close to their natural home and surroundings as possible," she said. "Any child that has been removed from their home has already experienced a loss from their parent, so we try to prevent a loss from their community, too."

For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition.