Attachment E:  Media Profile

The following outline is to be followed when preparing a child’s profile to be used in a variety of public recruitment efforts such as on Internet photo-listing Web sites, newspaper articles, at adoption matching parties or via inter-office E-mails. 

Supervisors are to review any profiles going into the media, where they will be displayed for a general public view.  Supervisors should utilize the Media Profile Checklist (CD-AEM-7) as a tool in their review. 

1. Please follow the Media Profile Outline provided below.  This profile may also be attached to the CD-AEM-8 and The Adoption Exchange forms.

Purpose Statement (to be used at the beginning):  The purpose of the information provided below is to briefly introduce you to the child (ren) for whom our agency is recruiting an adoptive placement.”

Information to Include in the profile:

• At the top of the profile, list separately, Child’s first name, date of birth (mo/yr), race and gender.  Can add grade in school if necessary
•  Within the narrative, be creative, energetic, use descriptive words (see list of descriptive adjectives following this outline.)
• Use an attention-getting phrase to begin the narrative and draw readers in.
• Include likes, hobbies, interests, what they want (family, life, goals, pets, church)
• Describe the child’s personality.
• School – information about the child’s educational accomplishments or needs. 
• Special issues – contact with siblings, family or past placement providers.
• Positive quotes from the child caregiver (don’t refer to the “residential” caregiver)
• Quotes from the child describing themselves (i.e. Favorite thing about themselves, etc.)
• Serious medical diagnosis and treatment involved.
• A description of the child’s need for a family with particular skills or family configuration (don’t limit to a two-parent family if that is not necessary.
• Legal Status
• Add the date updated/completed at the bottom of profile.
• The profile needs to be at least three paragraphs, and 120-150 words.  NO more than 1 – 1 ½ pages in length.

Ending Statement (to be used at the end): “For more detailed information about (child’s name) contact (worker name and phone).”

Do Not Include:

• Identifying information within the narrative(i.e., child’s last name,  school’s name, city where child resides, parent’s names, date and reason the child is in care, and history of abuse/neglect (any significant information may be included in the confidential narrative section).
• Details about failed past placements (any significant information may be included in the confidential narrative section).
• Anything that might be embarrassing to the child.  Ask yourself, “Would I feel comfortable showing this to the child, and would it make them uncomfortable?”
• Date of births, age or grades in school as a part of the narrative.  The child’s age is automatically updated on the Internet web-site.

Sample Profile:

Descriptive Adjectives: Below, is a list of descriptive words obtained from the AdoptUSKids web site that may be used in writing a profile.  For more profile writing tips, go to http://www.AdoptUSKids.org, sign-in, and click on “learn how” under the “Guidelines” section on “My Page”.

Chapter Memoranda History: (prior to 1/31/07)

CD04-73

Memoranda History: