'Best day of the year': National Adoption Day at Worcester Central District Court

WORCESTER — A courthouse would not normally be on the list of destinations for a family outing, but for 12 families Friday morning, Worcester Juvenile Court was exactly where they wanted to be.

National Adoption Day was celebrated in courthouses statewide Friday, and commemorated with 101 adoptions by 85 families.

“It’s the best day of the year,” said Worcester Juvenile Court First Justice Carol Erskine.

Friday's 20th annual event was the first in-person celebration since the pandemic, with the last two having been held virtually, and was still scaled back — in past years, there have been as many as 40 participating families at the courthouse.

Finalizing adoptions is the culmination of what is often a yearslong process.

For Charlene Jackson of Hardwick, and her 5-year-old son, Killian, the day marked the end of four long years of uncertainty and waiting.

“Relieved is an understatement,” said Jackson.

Long journey

Jackson has cared for Killian since he was about 15 months old and knew she wanted to adopt him from the beginning.

“If this baby can be my baby, I want him to be my baby,” she said.

However, soon after he turned 4, Killian had been returned to his biological father for an attempted reunification.

Jackson didn’t want to say goodbye, but knew the attempt had to be made.

“If this person can change their life, we have to give it a chance,” she said, “I was sad, but I understood.”

Then after about five months, Killian was returned to her.

“It’s been a long journey,” she said, “we’re ready to move on with the next chapter of our lives.”

Sheldon and William Vigeant of Shrewsbury have been waiting almost as long to finally adopt their daughter, Paige.

Sheldon has been literally counting the days (1,383 as of Friday), which was extended due to the pandemic.

While the extra wait added challenges, he said, “it gave us time to bond as a family while we were all stuck at home.”

Raises awareness

National Adoption Day is meant to raise awareness of the thousands of children currently in foster care and in need of families, with over 2,000 in Worcester County alone.

Like Killian and Paige, the 14 children adopted Friday, ranging in age from 1 to 15, were all placed in preadoptive homes — families fostering with the intent to adopt.

The children all came into the state foster system, so helping them make a new start with their families is a welcome change of pace for Erskine and others at the courthouse.

Instead of black, the judges wore purple robes — the national color of adoption — and instead of commanding the room like in movies and TV, invited the children to take part in the proceedings, explaining the process along the way.

"When we make something final and forever," Erskine explained to 9-year-old Haiden, who was being adopted by his aunt and uncle, "we bang the gavel three times."

She then had the court officer pass him the gavel — signaling his own adoption, which he enthusiastically accepted, along with his cousins (now siblings).

“It’s a joyful day for us when we can finalize an adoption,” said Erskine, who officiated three adoptions, all of which were cases she had heard personally and followed over the last year.

“When we reach this point, it means the child welfare system worked the way it’s supposed to, which means in the best interests of children.”

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: 'Best day of the year': National Adoption Day at Worcester Central District Court