Discover the joys of being a part of a small child's world by becoming a foster or adoptive parent. Children's Bureau, a licensed private foster and adoption agency, is seeking those special individuals and families who are willing to bring a child or siblings into their home.

An information meeting for foster and adoptive parents will be held from 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Children's Bureau branch located at 11815 Riverside Ave., North Hollywood. The meeting will be in Spanish and English.

With nearly 85,000 children in California removed from their parents' homes due to abuse or neglect and 9,000 children in California waiting for an adoptive home, there is a great need for caring adults to provide a loving, nurturing home as either foster or adoptive parents.

Foster parenting involves caring for a child (or children) on a short or long-term basis while adoption offers these children a permanent, stable home environment.

In either situation, you have the opportunity to give a child who has been hurt either emotionally or physically, a life filled with love, hope and all the little things that make childhood special!

There are foster children placed in Children's Bureau homes on a daily basis, with more than 300 children a month turned away due to lack of homes. Adoptive children are matched with families by the matching team.

The agency provides training, services, support groups and post-adoptive resources for foster and adoptive parents.

Financial help is also given to assist families in the care of these children. Prospective caregivers are encouraged to attend one of the agency's information meetings held each month (in English and Spanish) at several locations throughout Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

For more information, please call 800-730-3933.

Children's Bureau ( www.all4kids.org) is a 104-year old nonprofit leader in the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect.

Children's Bureau provides professional treatment and prevention services to more than 14,000 abused and neglected children and their families each year throughout Southern California.