A married couple that had decided placing their baby for adoption was the best option for them talked in our adoption agency this week and talked about their families. The husband talked of his 11 year old sister that was in the foster care system and had been for the past three years. The wife also talked about a brother that had been in state custody for several years before being reunited with her mother recently. Her brother now spends time with his mother and then his father alternately.

As the couple talked, they expressed their feelings as to why they had chosen adoption at Act of Love. Most of it had to do with watching siblings be placed in and out of foster care. Statistics state that just last year alone, 23,439 were legally emancipated from foster care. This means that they “aged out” of the foster care system without ever being adopted. This is such a tragedy to know that that many children never knew the joy of a forever family.

Studies have shown that one in five will become homeless after age 18, when they are released from the system and have nowhere to go. By age 24 only half will have work. Less than 3% will earn a college degree and 21% of the women will find themselves pregnant within 3 years of being on their own.

In addition, one in four will experience post-traumatic stress disorder and many are likely to return to government systems including local jails and prisons. Those who have experienced foster care say that being released to live on their own without the “know how” or skills is a frightening experience. There is no one to rely on, no home to go to for support or comfort — no family.

Most Americans are unaware of the thousands of children that are in the system and will remain there until they are adopted or age out. There is nothing being done to better the system and help with solutions for better education, vocational training, life skills training and homes to go, once they are released.

CNN states in a recent article, “It is our duty as a nation to end this cycle. We made promises to 101,000 children in foster care waiting to be adopted that we would find them safe, supportive homes.” For these children that have been permanently removed from their families, and freed for adoption, America owes them the opportunity to thrive in the warmth of a loving family.

For those considering parenting, but suffer from extreme poverty, abusive relationships, unsanitary living conditions, drug and alcohol homes, maybe adoption is a better choice. Imagine your beautiful baby being in the custody of the state and moving from foster home to foster home. It is far better to place your baby in the loving arms of an adoptive parent of YOUR choosing -someone that will stay in touch with you and offer pictures, and updates on the child’s growing up years. Isn’t this better than the possibility of long term foster care? Placing your child for adoption is giving your baby more! More stability! More love! More opportunity! More life skills! More education! and the knowledge that their parents loved them so much, they knew what was best from the beginning.

Like these birthparents that have witnessed their siblings experience in foster care, choosing adoption for your baby may be the best option! Contact Act of Love Adoptions today to talk about your options.

Sources: https://www.cnn.com/2014/04/16/opinion/soronen-foster-children/