Record Number of Foster Kids Find Adoptive Families

Just in time for National Foster Care Adoption Month, researchers have announced that the number of adoptions out of foster care has reached a record high.

In 2009, 57,000 U.S. kids in foster care found forever families, up from 37,000 in 1998, according to a Child Trends study reported in The Washington Times.

Kelly Rosati, vice president of community outreach at Focus on the Family, said the church is to thank for some of the progress. “We’ve been excited to see an increase in the willingness of Christians to simply ask themselves, ‘Does God want to use the blessing of our family on behalf of a child without one?’” she said. “And as Christians across the country continue to pray that prayer, I think we’re going to see these numbers increase.”

Researchers also found that the number of children waiting for adoption fell to a record low of 115,000 in 2009, down from 135,000 three years earlier. The average wait to be adopted fell to a record low 35 months, down from 48 months in 1998.

The Washington Times report mentioned Rosati and Focus’ Wait No More initiative, which holds events across the country to help families start the process of adoption. Nearly 6,000 people have attended the events, and nearly 1,500 have decided to pursue the adoption process.
But many more families are needed, Rosati said.

Chuck Johnson, president and CEO of the National Council for Adoption, agreed there is more to be done. “There’s a lot of work we can do together,” he said, “to help make adoption a more positive choice.”