And the 2012 NASW Media Award Winners are…

April 17, 2012 - PRLog -- Both Adoption Today and Fostering Families Today were recently awarded the 2012 National Association of Social Workers Media Award for the magazine category. Adoption Today was founded in 1998 by adoptive parent Richard Fischer.

“Out of the love for my children and respect for their birth heritage came the need to explore the unique dynamics of the multi-cultural family created through adoption," Fischer said. "What I found were vague, biased media interpretations of adoption that in many cases were inaccurate and often quite alarming. Parenting a child from an institutionalized setting requires special skills and a commitment to be the most important resource your child will ever have. Adoption Today made the promise to be the best child adoption focused publication available. Through the pages of Adoption Today, readers have found  the joy and strength of knowing they are never alone in finding solutions to meet the needs vital to the health and well-being of their children. Adoption Today belongs to you, the adoptive families of the world. We ask for your ever vigilant nurturing and support, guidance and discipline, celebration and reward. Adoption Today will continue to be the advocate for your choice to become family.”

Fostering Families Today followed just a few years later when Fischer recognized the need for a quality education and resource for foster parents caring for children impacted by abuse and neglect.

Each magazine matches content with its unique readers with the idea of providing information and education to foster and adoptive families that serves as a resource guide for families anywhere in the adoption or foster care process. The magazines often include articles written by social workers and other experts in the adoption and foster care community.

Today, both magazines are published in Windsor, Colo. And Fischer remains at the helm of both publications, who continues to strive to produce quality information for families of children fostered or adopted.

“Fostering Families Today owes this hard-earned recognition award to the many child welfare professionals, foster parents, mental health practicioners, educators and legal experts who have graciously contributed to the development and support of this publication since its inception," Fischer said. "We will continue to be the voice in all that contributes to the nurturing and well-being of children entrusted to our care. Fostering Families Today will remain firm in our commitment to keep open, the doors of communication and understanding, sharing our expertise and unique experiences—in order to best serve the most vulnerable children in our care.”

For the past 10 years, Kim Phagan-Hansel has served as editor of the publications and has helped to raise the awareness of foster and adoption issues across the country. In addition to the two magazines, Phagan-Hansel has recently released the new book, "The Foster Parenting Toolbox" with publisher EMK Press.

There are so many families who really need the information provided in both the magazines and the book," Phagan-Hansel said. "Every day we go to work with the hope that the information we compile will reach the hands of the right people and will make a profound and lasting positive impact on thousands of children."

For more information about Adoption Today or Fostering Families Today, visit www.adoptinfo.net or call 888-924-6736.

To read more about the NASW Media Awards, visit http://www.socialworkersspeak.org/hollywood-connection/an...