I have to do a speech in class on persuading more people to consider adoption, any suggestions of your own?

Answer 1

There are roughly 500,000 children in the foster care system in the United States. The majority of whom are not infants. The average stay in foster care for these children is 32 months. About 16% of these children wait 5 or more years in the foster care system. Some of them never are adopted and at age 17 or 18 (depending on the State) are sent out into the world with little to no guidance or assistance. Some 1/3 of those children who "age out" of the foster care system end up homeless or in jail. (see the AFCARS Report for adoption statistics). What a huge difference a "forever family" would make to these children. Adoption through the foster care system requires that you be 21 years of age (there is no maximum cutoff age), you can be single or married (in some states you can also be gay), you cannot have a communicable disease and you have to complete a class and a home study. If you adopt a child over the age of 2 years the child has to have its own room or can share a room with a same sex sibling. There are no financial requirements except that you must have reasonable finances to meet your current expenses at your current standard of living. What these children need are someone to love them and believe in them. If you can provide that, odds are you would be a great adoptive parent. Kids adopted from Foster care are usually eligible for medicaid coverage, in some states free college tutition to a state school, and possibly subsidies to cover special medical or counseling expenses, some kids are also eligible for subsidies to cover the legal expenses of the adoption (lawyers and court filing fees), so the cost can be very low to almost nothing. (see adoptuskids.org for information on adopting and stories of some of the kids who are waiting and some of the families who have adopted). Here are some famous people who have been adopted: Scott Hamilton, Greg Louganis, Surya Bonaly, & Dan O'Brien (all Olympic athletes); Dave Thomas (founder of Wendy's); Lynette Cole (Miss USA 2000); Eartha Kitt (Singer/Actress who played Catwoman on the television series Batman in the 1960's). Imagine the possibilities you can bring to a child's life through adoption. I am a single woman who is currently going through the process of adopting a child. While I had thought about it before, I waited because I thought what could I give to a child-I'm single, I live in an apartment, and I have a modest income, then I started reading about some of the kids that are waiting for homes-one of them said she wanted a family who could love her and would allow her to have a goldfish-I thought, I can do that, so now I am. Good luck with your speech.

Answer 2

My suggestion is to use international adoption from Chinese orphanages. Their's is a cruel system. 95% of the children in orphanages are girls. Once they turn 7, they're life is planned out for them. They are taught their chosen profession. By the age of 4, if they are in a large orphanage, they are in charge of two 2 year olds. It's a tough life. Eventually they will be turned out onto the streets. In Chinese society, family is still very important. Without family you have no honor. Your chances to marry are nonexistant. No family means no dowry. Since there are so many girls who cannot marry, there is an intense competition among the males for those who are desirable. Men without looks or education become known as "broken branches" because the family is broken.

Answer 3

How about discussing people adopting older children and children with disabilities. They need good loving parents and homes also. It's difficult to put it into words here but I would talk about the rewards and love of an older child who is adopted and the input he/she would bring to the family and other such positive aspects.

Answer 4

I'm adopted. My biological mother was 15. My adoptive parents were able to give me a life she couldn't. I am so thankful she had it in her heart to put my needs first. My life has been great and I'm blessed to have the family that I do.

Answer 5

well if you could persuade the adoptions agency to not be such a long drawn out so very expensive experience it might be a Lil bit up for more folks to consider

Answer 6

Maybe showing the pain n suffering children have to go through if they r not adopted i no that would convince me because i would feel bad for any child going through what they do .

Answer 7

the biological ability to impregnate and become pregnant neither qualifies or guarantees the nurturing environment for a child. Nature tells us in advance that we can have children but nurturing tells us in retrospect that we made poor parents. That works say 65% of the time.....consider that Nature didnt give us all we neede to become biological parents or that our nurturing ability has told us that we shouldnt be parents. Then we are given a diffefent set of circumstances, right. Ok If Sue and Dan would make great parents but for what ever reason they cant become pregnant and over hear you have Beth and brian who are pregnant but didnt plan to or cant raise a child in their circumstance. then it is only logical that sue and Dan be able to raise and parent that child.