The National Council for Adoption has been working tirelessly to advocate for children needing homes, for birth mothers, and for adoptive families. Part of that advocacy includes fact finding and the gathering of statistics. One very heartening fact recently released by the NCFA is that over the past five years, adoptions through foster care have increased! Sadly, the number of children entering foster care has also increased, leaving a greater number of children without permanent homes.
The increase in adoption through foster care over the past five years indicates that awareness campaigns and advocacy groups are succeeding. And for our country to be successful, success in this arena is essential. The NCFA says it well:
“Research has shown the benefits of adoption for children who need families, as it provides the safety, security, and developmental support that only permanency within a nurturing family can. Public attitudes about adoption lead NCFA to conclude that there is a strong culture of adoption in the U.S. Some experts estimate that 100 million Americans have either been personally touched by adoption within their families or know someone who is or has adopted. Given our long and active role on Capitol Hill, NCFA can also report that adoption is viewed as a positive and desirable outcome for children in need of families among policymakers across the political spectrum.”
So against a backdrop of positivity, we are, as a country, incrementally moving towards taking care of our children, as a whole. Now that the trend regarding foster adoption is on the climb, support for advocacy groups, taking advantage of opportunities to raise awareness, and personal participation in foster care and adoption will keep the ball rolling.
How can you help? Consider becoming a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Volunteer, offer your services at fundraising and awareness events, become a respite care provider, talk up foster adoption with your friends and associates. Each child adopted through foster care is one more child saved from some pretty scary statistics. And that adopted child may go on to give back in the same way, thereby exponentially increasing the worthy goal of providing “safety, security and developmental support” to children in need.
