December 26, 2013
Looking at the Facts: Adoption
From the Abby’s family to yours: we hope you had a wonderful Christmas…and if this was your first Christmas as a family, here’s hoping it was filled with joy, laughter and new traditions that can be repeated for years to come.
As the year winds to a close, it’s important to remember what we’re doing here and what adoption means to us, and to all the children waiting for families. Here are some things to think about and spread to others…adoption will always benefit when we share our knowledge.
In the US, over 400,000 children are living in foster care. 40% of those children are eligible for adoption, but most will wait 3-4 years to finally be adopted.
Each year, over 27,000 children age out of foster care. Meaning that if they’ve not found families by then, they leave foster care with no family to call home, lacking a proper support system to help move them forward and help them begin this next stage of their life.
Adopted children make up roughly 2% of the child population.
There are many reasons to adopt a child, but 95% of individuals adopt due to infertility issues.
People in the United States adopt more children, domestically and internationally, than anywhere else in the world combined.
Children who are raised in orphanages have IQ’s that are generally 20 points lower than their peers. Many age of out foster care without a high school diploma, even.
Around the world, there are over 17 million children who have lost both parents, and are living homeless on the streets or in orphanages. Without proper care, or adoption, these children are subject to devastating malnutrition, a lack of education and a deficit of such basic needs as food, clothing and shelter.
When it comes to adoption costs, this often varies by race, gender, sex and age — this influences waiting times as well. White baby girls tend to cost the most, while black older boys tend to cost the least.
Over 60,000 adopted children are living with a gay parent.
Almost 60% of Americans have a personal connection to adoption…that is a huge number!
