While there are 1,343 children and adolescents waiting for adoption in the state of São Paulo, there are 8,452 candidates in line waiting for their turn to become parents. This means more than six prospective parents for each child or adolescent waiting for adoption. Why then do they continue in shelters without a family? The explanation for this disconnect lies in the expectations of the majority of prospective parents, who are only interested in adopting children up to three years of age, while most of those still waiting to be adopted have already grown beyond this age group.
To create an alternative for those in this situation who, therefore, have few chances of gaining a new family, the Central Court for Children and Adolescents of São Paulo launched a campaign to find “sponsors” willing to spend at least one hour per week with the children. With this appeal, the campaign, launched in April this year, has been very successful and through mid-June more than 5,000 interested people have already signed up.
According to psychoanalyst Márcia Porto, coordinator of the Instituto Sedes Sapientiae, what the Affective Sponsorship proposes is much more than an hour of dedication to another person. “It is the exercise of a fraternal and supportive function, unlike the traditional model of family adoption, where there is less possession,” says Márcia. The institute is responsible for preparing the sponsor candidates, shelter administrators and children and adolescents involved in the program.
Representatives of three shelters, 25 future sponsors and 22 children are already involved in a pilot project in which each group meets bimonthly in meetings coordinated by two professionals of the Instituto Sedes Sapientiae. According to the coordinator, these are spaces for listening, which allow the individuals to meet in groups. In the next stage of the pilot project, in August, the meetings will take place between the groups. After the visits start, all those involved will be monitored for one year.
A difference of the program is that a sponsor for each child will not be imposed, as normally occurs with adoptions. These choices will be made by those involved, based on the group meetings, thereby allowing the people to make connections spontaneously.
In this pilot, young people are targeted as candidates, some with prior experience in volunteer activities. Among those not adopted are many children over seven years of age and adolescents, some nearing 18 when they will need to leave the shelters. For these young people, the Affective Sponsoring campaign also provides an important chance to establish ties outside the shelter environment.
In a society of people increasingly individualistic, stressed and technological, the program proposal is an invitation to personal contact. Stop, stop looking only at yourself, listen to what someone else has to say, be supportive! The world thanks you.