In honor of National Adoption Month, we want to acknowledge and celebrate the families made whole through the adoption process. Child welfare professionals and adjacent entities have been a driving force behind adoption initiatives and the permanency in which these children and youth feel every day. To continue this work, it is also paramount for us to increase national awareness of current adoption issues in the United States.
There are approximately 114,000 children and youth waiting to be adopted nationwide who are at risk of aging out of foster care. Many children and youth leave the system feeling lost and disconnected from their identity without any secure and permanent connections.
The Children’s Bureau shares that they “continue to focus efforts on adoption for teens with the knowledge that teens in foster care wait longer for permanency and are at higher risk of aging out than younger children.” They continue to say that “securing lifelong connections for these teens is critical in determining their future achievement, health, and well-being.” In the article, New Campaign Encourages Families to Adopt Teens, AdoptUSKids demonstrates its commitment to this need by partnering with national and local agencies and organizations by launching several PSAs as part of a larger, longstanding campaign.
These combined efforts highlight the importance of empowering youth and finding points of connection. Providing opportunities and services that connect children and youth to their backgrounds and identities builds meaningful relationships and sustained permanency. Educating and offering support to adoptive families can also encourage the continuation of these relationships and feelings of permanency.
Join us in celebrating National Adoption Month 2023, our historical efforts, and the focal point of planned permanency and fostering connections with youth and children waiting to be adopted in the United States.
What you can do:
- Share information with your community, colleagues, family, and friends
- Attend National Adoption Month events in your community
- Donate to an adoption or foster care agency
- Volunteer your time with an adoption or foster care organization
- Subscribe to the Children Bureau’s email list to receive the latest updates on National Adoption Month
- Promote National Adoption Month by using your social networks to raise awareness
Resources:
Written by __________
Return to Blog & Latest News