‘I couldn’t separate them’: GA adoption story underscores need for support

A Georgia man decided to adopt two brothers in 2022. He first adopted the little brother, Brody. After inviting the older brother, Christian, to Christmas, Sean Lee knew the boys needed each other.

“When I saw the kids together on Christmas morning, I made sure Christian had a lot of presents as well,” Lee said. “The boys were just playing in the living room with their toys and laughing, and I knew that I couldn’t separate them.”

November is National Adoption Month, and this year it comes as Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Family and Children Services faces strenuous circumstances.

The federal government shutdown caused the agency to cut programs, including programs that assess children’s needs prior to foster care, help keep children in their homes, and provide parent education and training programs, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

DHS announced Nov. 10 it would also eliminate educational support programs aimed at improving graduation rates, contracts that helped children who need extra medical and physical care, and services that help prevent developmentally disabled youth from entering foster care, according to the AJC.

Candice Broce, director of DFCS, disclosed in January that the agency faced a $44 million deficit. Yet by November, the Imprint reported that the agency had a roughly $80 million deficit.

As a single father, Lee said he depends on the support he received from Bethany Christian Services and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, which helped connect him with therapists, resources, and services to guide him through the process.

“I’ve learned tons. But again, I go back to that saying, ‘it takes a village.’ It really does,” Lee emphasized. “I have a behavioral therapist, that works with Christian Monday through Friday. He’s there for a couple of hours, just working with him on basic life skills.”

Cyndi Todd, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiter at the foundation, worked with Lee and his kids, and she said there are more than 440 children in Georgia who are legally free for adoption.

“As a recruiter, it’s not about just finding that family and that resource but I’ve always said that’s when the work really begins,” Todd explained. “Because you’ve got to support that family through this and make sure that they are getting all the support that they need.”

If you are interested in fostering or adopting in Georgia, go to dfcs.georgia.gov to learn more.