Adoption in the United States has been on the decline in recent years, with the number of adoptions falling to a low of around 437,500 in fiscal year 2019, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The majority of these adoptions were stepparent adoptions, with around 127,000 being completed in 2019.
One of the most shocking statistics regarding adoption in the United States is the number of children who are waiting to be adopted from foster care. In 2019, there were around 442,995 children in foster care, and of those, 123,437 were available for adoption. This means that there are tens of thousands of children in the U.S. who are waiting for loving, permanent homes.
Another shocking statistic is the racial disparities in adoption. Children of color, particularly Black children, are disproportionately represented in the foster care system and are less likely to be adopted than white children. In 2019, black children made up 14% of the overall population of children in the foster care system but 39% of the children waiting to be adopted.
The age of children waiting for adoption is another shocking statistic. The majority of children adopted from foster care are between the ages of 9 and 18, this means that the majority of children adopted from foster care are teenager and not young children. This is particularly concerning, as older children may have more difficulty adjusting to their new families and may be less likely to be adopted.
Overall, the adoption statistics in the United States are worrying, with a significant number of children waiting to be adopted, particularly children of color and older children. The racial disparities and the number of children waiting for adoption in the foster care system is shocking, and it highlights the need for continued efforts to find loving homes for these children and improve the child welfare system.
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