Youth Voices: Why Family Matters

Happy National Adoption Month! American Adoptions celebrates adoption all year, every year, but November has a special place in our hearts. It’s the perfect opportunity to talk about the importance of adoption with those who might not often think about this type of family-building.

Each National Adoption Month has its own theme. 2019’s theme is “Youth Voices: Why Family Matters.”

While Adoption Month is a time to celebrate and talk about all types of adoption, its primary focus is on foster care and the children who are still waiting to be adopted. Especially for teens and adoptable adults, family matters!

Here are some quick facts about why family makes such a difference, courtesy of the Child Welfare Information Gateway:

  1. There are over 123,000 children and youth waiting to be adopted who are at risk of aging out of foster care without permanent family connections. (AFCARS report)
  2. Approximately one in five children in the U.S. foster care system waiting to be adopted are teens.
  3. Only 5 percent of all children adopted in 2017 were 15–18 years old.
  4. The risk of homelessness and human trafficking is increased for teenagers in foster care.
  5. According to the most recent AFCARS report, of the 123,000 children and youth waiting to be adopted:
    • 52 percent are male
    • 48 percent are female
    • 22 percent are African American
    • 22 percent are Hispanic
    • 44 percent are white
    • The average age is eight years old
    • 11 percent are between 15 and 17 years old
    • Average time in foster care is 31 months

Throughout this National Adoption Month, use these resources to share the importance of family to children waiting for a home.

Why Does Adoption Matter to Your Family?

Adoption has impacted the lives of so many families in different ways. Let others know how adoption has made a difference in your life!

Sharing your personal connection to adoption and the way it’s influenced your life can make a difference to someone who is thinking about this path for themselves.

So why does adoption and family matter to you? Let us know!