November is National Adoption Awareness Month which is dedicated to those living in foster care. We need to shed light on what exactly adoption entails and all of the positives and negatives that come with it.

Adoption is a route that a lot of families take if they are unable to or don’t want to bear a child themselves. So many kids, older and younger are in need of a safe, loving home.

While adoption is an amazing choice, many challenges have to be faced. The cost of adoption is significantly more expensive today than it was four decades ago. When adopting through a private system though, parents can be expected to pay up to $60,000. In contrast, adopting through foster care is essentially free.

In an interview done with Ryan and Lettice on their Youtube Channel, Achieving Family Goals, they breakdown how much it truly costs to adopt and what fees/other extra costs there are.

These costs can be paid through workplace benefits, tax credits, and grants. It can be expensive, but the costs are manageable.

Adoption numbers this past year have dropped. In 2010, the largest Protestant adoption agency in the US, Bethany Christian services, more than 700 infants were put in private adoptions. Looking at the numbers this past year, they have dropped to fewer than 300.

International adoption rates have decreased as well going from 23,000 in 2004 and about 3,000 in 2019.

This shortage of adoptable babies can run into issues for parents looking to adopt. Many parents have the idea of AYAP – as young as possible. That becomes an issue because not every facility has large numbers of infants. Parents are forced to either change their minds and look to adopt older kids or just not adopt at all. Obviously, most parents are perfectly fine with having to adopt older children but most aren’t prepared to take on young adults.

Younger children are more popular for families looking to adopt. Today, more than 10,000 children are available in the foster care system. As shown from research, 40 of them, out of the 4,000 registered, are under age five. Many of them have extensive medical needs or are a part of a sibling group.

Local adoption agencies include Bethany Christian Services, C2 Adopt, and Childrens Home Society. All are licensed centers that facilitate placements between hopeful parents or women considering this unplanned pregnancy option.

There are so many children around the world that are in need of a home where they can feel welcomed and loved. This November, let’s honor those who are adopted, foster parents, and those who are still in foster care.