November is "National Adoption Month," and Allen County Children Services is getting the word out about the process. So far this year, the agency has had twelve children find a forever home through adoption, triple the amount of last year. It's been one of the busiest years that Allen County Children Services has had, but there are still 10 children between the ages of 3 and 17 waiting for a permanent home, and that list could grow. So the call is going out for loving families to step forward and learn about the rewards of providing a child with a loving place to call home.

LIMA, OH(WLIO) - Crossroads Crisis Center took a night to honor victims and those who stand up for them.

If you would like to help change a child's story, you may consider becoming a child advocate. CASA of Allen and Putnam Counties is looking for volunteers to help children who had to be removed from their families because of the situation they are living in. Advocates would help the children in court proceedings get a better life and outcome than they are leaving.

Twelve non-profit organizations are receiving donations that will help them help kids in a variety of programs. The Lima Exchange Club presented checks to programs that provide for the welfare of children. The organizations can provide a positive influence to the child through sports, education, a caring hand, and even a new pair of shoes. The focus of the Exchange Club is child abuse prevention, and believe these programs will be beneficial for the youth.

Making friends is often seen as a natural part of childhood, but it may be easier for some kids than others. Bethany Ulrick tells us about a recent poll of parents and what they think about their kids developing friendships. A new poll from the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children's Hospital finds that one in five parents say their child between the ages of six and twelve has no friends or not enough friends.

The City of Lima will be hosting a regional roundtable event focusing on early childhood education and development. Groundwork Ohio, a non-partisan public policy research and advocacy organization, will be in town next week for a "Roadshow Listening Tour" at the Lima Public Library. Lima Mayor Sharetta Smith and Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn will be hosting the event, where they want to hear from daycare providers, parents, and anyone who is involved in the early development of children from birth to 5 years of age.

May 24, 2024, Press Release from the Office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost: (COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost today released the 2023 Ohio Missing Children Clearinghouse Report in recognition of National Missing Children’s Day, which occurs annually on May 25. The clearinghouse documented 22,374 people missing in 2023 – 1,757 more than the year before. Of those, 17,405 were reports of missing children – 1,950 more than the previous year. Thankfully, authorities reported that 98% of the missing children – 17,033 of them – were recovered safely by the year’s end. Open-source data revealed that five of the children reported missing were found deceased in 2023.