Office of Adoption and Child Protection

Phone: (850) 717-9261
Fax: (850) 921-0173

Office of Adoption and Child Protection

The Office of Adoption and Child Protection was created, within the Executive Office of the Governor, for the purpose of establishing a comprehensive statewide approach for the promotion of adoption, support of adoptive families and prevention of child abuse, abandonment and neglect. The duties and responsibilities of the Office of Adoption and Child Protection are enshrined in Section 39.001, Florida Statutes (§39.001, FS), entitled Proceedings Relating to Children. The Office of Adoption and Child Protection is led by Director and Chief Child Advocate Zackary Gibson.

The Office of Adoption and Child Protection is the Governor’s liaison with agencies, governments and the public on matters that relate to the promotion of adoption, support of adoptive families, and child abuse prevention. The Office of Adoption and Child Protection is responsible for the development, implementation and monitoring of a strategic program and funding initiative that links the separate jurisdictional activities of state agencies with respect to the promotion of adoption, support of adoptive families, and child abuse prevention. The Office of Adoption and Child Protection oversees statewide public awareness campaigns and cultivates public and private support for these campaigns. With the assistance of the Department of Children and Families the Office of Adoption and Child Protection advises the Governor and Legislature on the status of the strategic plan. Please click here to view the Office’s 2012 Annual Report. The Office of Adoption and Child Protection also coordinates and staffs the following:

  • Florida Children and Youth Cabinet

The Cabinet is chaired by Department of Children and Families’ Secretary David Wilkins. The Director of the Office of Adoption and Child Protection, Zackary Gibson, serves on the Cabinet. The Office of Adoption and Child Protection serves as a staffing resource to the Cabinet. Created in Florida Statutes (§402.586, FS), the Florida Children and Youth Cabinet is charged with ensuring that public policy, relating to Florida’s children and youth promotes interdepartmental collaboration and program implementation in order that services designed for children and youth are planned, managed and delivered in a holistic and integrated manner. This is to improve the self-sufficiency, safety, economic stability, health and quality of life of all children and youth in Florida.

For more information on the Florida Children and Youth Cabinet please click here.

  • Florida Faith-Based and Community-Based Advisory Council

Created in Florida Statutes (§14.31, FS), the Florida Faith-Based and Community-Based Council serves as a formal policy council to the Executive Office of the Governor and to the Legislature. The Florida Faith-Based and Community-Based Advisory Council is Chaired by Tom Lukasik, Executive Director of 4KIDS South Florida and Vice-Chaired by Sheila Hopkins, Associate Director, Florida Catholic Conference. The Office of Adoption and Child Protection serves as a staffing resource to the Council. The goals of the Council are to enlist, enable, empower and expand the work of volunteer faith-based and community-based organizations. The Council is tasked with providing annual recommendations to the Governor and Legislature that will encourage the government and the faith-based community to work together to improve social services for Floridians.

For more information on the Florida Faith-Based and Community-Based Advisory Council please click here.

  • Faith-Based and Community-Based Engagement and Volunteer Opportunities

State agencies are partnering together to provide faith-based and community-based organizations volunteer opportunities in every community throughout Florida. Volunteers are a driving force and energy behind faith-based and community-based organizations that can provide vital services to the community, including children, individuals, and families.

For more information on how to volunteer, please click here.

  • Explore Adoption

Florida’s award winning Explore Adoption campaign is a statewide adoption initiative aimed at promoting the benefits of public adoption and urging families to consider creating or expanding their families by adopting children that are available for adoption from foster care. Through public education, expanded partnerships, Web-based outreach and a mass media campaign, Explore Adoption invites Floridians to find out more about the children immediately available for adoption right in their home state.

To learn more about the children available for adoption in Florida, please visit www.adoptflorida.org, call 1-800-96-ADOPT, or follow @ExploreAdoption on Twitter.

  • Child Abuse Prevention and Permanency Advisory Council

The Child Abuse Prevention and Permanency Advisory Council is chaired by the Director of the Office of Adoption and Child Protection. The Office of Adoption and Child Protection has established a Child Abuse Prevention and Permanency Advisory Council to serve as its research arm and to guide the planning and implementation of the promotion of adoption and the prevention of abuse, abandonment and neglect. The Office of Adoption and Child Protection serves as a staffing resource to the Advisory Council. The Advisory Council members represent child serving and advocating agencies, organizations and parents across Florida.

To read Florida’s five-year prevention and permanency plan please click here.

Meeting Advisories

For more information about upcoming meetings please call (850) 717-9261.
 

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