Media Room

11.12.2008
November is Adoption Awareness Month

You don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent.

There are thousands of teens in foster care who would be willing to put up with you.

According to the Administration for Children and Families, over 513,000 children are in foster care
in the United States right now. While about half of the children return to their parents, the others
will remain in foster care. Of these children, about 114,000 children are waiting for adoption.
Furthermore, more than 20,000 youth “age out” of foster care each year without ever being adopted.
Children who exit foster care without ever experiencing a permanent family are more likely to have
poor outcomes.

More than half of the children waiting for families are members of a minority group, over the age of
seven, and brothers and sisters who want to stay together. Statistics indicate that it would take less
than 1 percent of the American population to give every waiting child a home! That’s what National
Adoption Month is all about – spreading awareness to recruit and retain foster and adoptive parents
for our nation’s waiting children.

To learn about becoming a foster or adoptive parent, contact the Partnership for Families, Children and Adults at 423.755.2725. Together we can ensure safety, permanency and well being for all of our children.