Why Encourage Adoption?

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (AFCARS Estimates as of January 2009):

·         114,500 children in U.S. foster care are available for adoption because parental rights have been terminated; however, only 57,000 children are adopted each year.

·         Each year, 20% of children turn 18 and leave foster care leave without being adopted.

From the National Foster Care Adoption Attitudes Survey, conducted by Harris Interactive and commissioned by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption in 2007:

·         48 million Americans have considered foster care adoption, more so than any other form of adoption. However, they lack awareness and information to move through the adoption process. More needs to be done to connect these families with waiting children.

·         69% of American adults think more should be done to encourage adoption.

·         One in three American adults has considered adopting a child, if just a fraction of them adopted, every child waiting in foster care would have a permanent family.

·         Many Americans have misperceptions about the foster care adoption process and the children waiting for adoption. They need to know that these children did not enter foster care as juvenile delinquents, that foster care adoption is affordable and that the biological parents cannot try to take the child back.