How many children that are put up for adoption or go into foster care actually get a loving family?

Question

I would love the answer in a percentage, or whatever you guys can find. Thanks so much.

Answer 1

It's not that high. I was in foster care, I know... really, I do, and these people who are saying things like "90%" and higher have no idea what they're talking about.

Historically, the number of children in foster care has increased, while the proportion of children in foster care who are free for adoption has remained constant. In 1977, as in 1997, approximately 20% of the children in foster care were available for adoption. Of the children who were free for adoption in 1977, 50% were in adoptive placements... that's half of 20% --10%. Of the children free for adoption in December, 1982, 34% were in adoptive placements. Thus, by December 1982, 33,000 children were waiting to be placed for adoption. (Maza, 1983)

Based on current AFCARS estimates released January 2000, there are approximately 520,000 children currently in foster care in the United States. Of these, 117,000 are eligible for adoption. (US HHS, 2000)

Here, I'm looking up things for you.
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/stats_research/afcars/trends.html
http://statistics.adoption.com/information/adoption-statistics-foster-care-1999.html

Answer 2

I would say that 100% of the healthy infants whose birth mothers make an adoption plans through an agency or attorney are probably adopted. When you have a child with known special needs, the numbers probably go down, but it's probably still a pretty big number.

When an infant comes into the foster system (again the "healthy" infants with no known special needs would have a higher permanency rate than the child with known special needs), they're generally fairly easy to find a foster family for (depending on the county and the shortage of foster homes). Whenever parental rights are severed, the current foster family has the option to adopt that child if they choose...if they choose not to, then a different adoptive resource would be located. All the states I'm aware of are working toward either reunification with the birth family or a permanency plan for adoption (involving severing parental rights) in a much more expedient manner. The numbers of those kiddos finding permanency is probably pretty high, too.

Where you run into the low numbers is when you start looking at kids with "special needs". In my state a special needs child is defined as someone who is over 7 & white, over 2 & black (or biracial), part of a sibling group, any medical/educational or emotional special need the child may have...and stuff like that.

So...let's say you have a 12 year old boy brought into care. They're lucky enough to find a foster family willing to foster an older child & place the child there. 18 months later the parental rights are severed because reunification is not possible. The foster parents are asked if they can adopt the child & they cannot or choose not to for some reason. They begin the search for other adoptive resources and put the child on a photo listing, maybe even getting the child involved in the Heart Gallery (http://www.heartgallerynm.org/natl.php for more info). An adoptive home may or may not be found for the child because he's 12 & there aren't enough families who want to adopt an older child.

I don't know what the hard percentages are, but I do know that there are far too many kids in care (parental rights severed or not) and far too few parents willing to step up to the plate to foster and adopt these kids. It breaks my heart.

You can find more information & maybe some good data at http://www.davethomasfoundationforadoption.org/index.asp which is Dave Thomas' organization which has a mission to encourage people to adopt from foster care.

Answer 3

Here are the stats for IL. If you want to know what your state did I would guess google the department website and look under adoption.

DCFS Wards
Adopted
FY 1976-2006
Fiscal Year Adoptions
Consummated
2006 1,670
2005 1,867
2004 2,137
2003 2,795
2002 3,393
2001 4,208
2000 6,281
1999 7,275
1998 4,293
1997 2,229
1996 1,961
1995 1,640
1994 1,200
1993 1,034
1992 724
1991 708
1990 788
1989 719
1988 718
1987 714
1986 763
1985 812
1984 945
1983 900
1982 798
1981 555
1980 475
1979 471
1978 558
1977 762
1976 1,029

Answer 4

Eh. Foster parents? I like how many people are making up numbers out of whatever they feel like...

Well this is yahoo, what do you expect? Foster care is pretty rough. Even some families who are well intentioned can have pretty scary views on how to provide for and discipline children.

This question does not lend itself to accurate stats. Define loving? What on earth does that mean? Ask an adoptive parent if they are "loving" and a huge percentage will say yes, while what the kids experience is actually horrible.

Adoptive families who pay thousands of dollars for the child of their dreams will have put thought and big bucks into it. But being rich doesn't really mean you know how to be a parent, or you have a bigger heart either.

There are some pretty self absorbed rich parents out there, whether they adopt or not. Being desperate enough for a child to spend thousands of dollars does not necessarily mean you are loving in any way.

Answer 5

Not sure a percentage. Usually the older the child, the less likely they are to be adopted. I know sounds awful. If the baby thing doesnt work out for us, we may have to go the fost/adopt route and hope to get a sweet little guy that way. There are soooooooo many kids in the US just waiting to have a place to call home forever.

Answer 6

i am so sorry that a child can not be loved and taken cared of. if i could i would take all the children in care. but i can only speak for my home. i have 4 beautiful children that my husband and i adopted. and we are currently fostering 1 and i have had people to tell me there is nothing like having your own and that is bull because i can't think of a greater love.

Answer 7

Anyone that gives you a number is just making it up. I, for one do not know about any adoption that has not been anything but loving. There are cases where either the agency did a poor job of screening the adoptive parents, or the adoptive parents were not honest about their intentions. That is why it is so important to work through a good agency or a reputable attorney.

Answer 8

In our family - 100%!

Perhaps foster care is different since "some" people are in it for the money, but I would say that adoptions thru an agency would be a high percentage. People typically wouldn't spend thousands of dollars to bring a child into their life and not want to provide a loving, safe home and family.

Answer 9

My friend worked for CPS and now works for a Christian group that puts kids in foster homes in order to place them with families.

I'm not sure that anyone can give you the number you're looking for, it changes from month to month, year to year. To be honest, I'm not sure any agency has a true number, everyone is so backed up with paperwork. My friend is backed up with paperwork from months ago.

The core problem comes in many directions. Lemme use an example.

A three year old, blue eye, blond haired boy, came into CPS and was dropped in my friend's lap for placement. He knew one of his families wanted a baby badly but he knew if he took this child to them, they'd fall in love. Sure enough they fell in love with him and so my friend put this family up for the judge to adopt the little boy. As he put it, he was "prime real estate". That's how CPS labels all adoptable children, in real estate terms. CPS turns around and puts up another family, after they already knew that my friend had a perfectly viable candidate that wanted to adopt this child. It's currently in the courts. who will get this child, I couldn't tell you. The original family is upset that they have to fight for the right to adopt this child that they already fell in love with. my friend is upset that CPS put another family up to adopt this child, a family this child has never met, a family he's not been living with, a family that my friend has no idea who they are.

Now, my friend also has lots of handicapped and emotionally unstable kids. Not a one are adoptable because of their handicaps and their age. And they all know it. Every single one of his kids know they don't have a shot in hell of ever being adopted into a loving home.

My friend spends his days at work putting out fires between his kids and the foster parents and mediating disputes.

But soon as a baby comes along, they're snatched up. CPS cannot provide enough babies for the people wanting to adopt them. Everyone wants a baby. No one wants anyone over the age of five. And five is pushing it.

I do feel for all the kids stuck in the foster system. I think people forget that different states provide amazing amount of services for families that adopt children from the foster care system. In Texas, they'll pay for the education of the child up to his or her's doctorate degree. Which means you don't have to worry about paying for college tuiton, it's already taken care of soon as you adopt a child. I hear Arizona has amazing amenities for adoption. All states are different. You just have to ask.

Answer 10

Listen I was put up for apotion and got a loving home i did the same reaserch its about 74% maybe a little higher now I did this back in 2000 I think its about 78% now do to more familys who are loveing wanting to adopt a child now instead for instance the stars. i hope that helps Keep smiling if you want to talk you know my name on list see ya take care could luck