 | For the past five years, abc27's Valerie Pritchett has worked with the Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network (SWAN) and the PA Adoption Exchange to place waiting children with adoptive parents. As of November 2009, Valerie has taped segments featuring 231 kids. So far, 46% of Val's Kids have been placed. And we're not done yet... Please watch Val's Kids on Wednesdays during the 7pm news. It repeats on the Sunday 6pm news as well. Perhaps you can open your heart and home to one of Val's Kids! For more information on SWAN and the PA Adoption Exchange, visit www.adoptpakids.org or call 1-800-585-SWAN (7926). |  | Valerie Pritchett was an anchor and reporter in New Jersey before joining abc27. In addition to anchoring abc27 News at Noon, and co-anchoring abc27 News Live at Five and abc27 News at 7:00pm , Valerie is abc27's health reporter and produces the ever popular Getaway Thursday segments throughout the year. She also introduces viewers to kids awaiting adoption with her Val's Kids profiles. A true animal lover, Valerie has three dogs. She and her husband affectionately call them "the boys." |  | The Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network (SWAN) is a partnership among the Department of Public Welfare (DPW), the Pennsylvania Adoption Exchange, public and private adoption agencies, organizations, advocates, judges, the legal community, and foster and adoptive parents. The network is administered by DPW through a prime contractor. As the mission statement reflects, the purpose is to build a better collaborative adoption process in Pennsylvania. The SWAN program serves children in the custody of county children and youth agencies. The design of the network is to support the work of county agencies in expediting permanency services. The children featured in the Photo Album are some of our children waiting to be adopted. | | |