bridges of love

Missão de Amor

Providing Social, Family and Community Support for Children in Fostercare or Undergoing Adoption

The adoption process encompasses numerous challenges. Children who grow up in shelters lack role models due to the high turnover of professionals, making it difficult to create essential emotional bonds.

Pontes de Amor emerged from the concern for guaranteeing institutionalized children and adolescents the right to family life, striving to minimize high return rates of children by adoptive families in Brazil and family crises in post adoption from a lack of support and psychological and psycho-pedagogical monitoring.

The organization works in partnership with the Childhood and Youth Court and its agencies and the Councils of Children’s and Adolescents’ Law. In addition to the training and monitoring of families, this project will engage young volunteers in actions with children and adolescents, increasing social role models.

With support from BrazilFoundation, Pontes de Amor plans to offer:

• Support to families in the pre and post adoption process: legal counseling, monitored therapy and care with specialized professionals;
• Training of young volunteers to work on project activities;
• Workshops, interactive activities, conversations, and cultural trips with young volunteers and the children and adolescents in shelter;
• Psycho-pedagogical counseling for those with learning disabilities.

Impact

270 children and adolescents in shelters reached
85% reintegration with families of origin, or referral for adoption
Strengthened emotional ties and interpersonal relationships

“The preparation of adoptive families is essential to reduce return rates during the cohabitation stage.” – Pontes de Amor Team