Adoption through foster care is at a record high within the U.S. Many attribute this growth to the continued opioid crisis. But also to the efforts of states for promoting adoption through foster care.
The Pew Trust reports that in 2018 more than 63,000 children in foster care found adoptive homes. This is up by a quarter from the last fiscal count in 2014. According to the U.S. Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System, this number of adoption through foster care is an all-time high.
Additional Wins for Children in Foster Care
An additional win to consider is the increase in children leaving the foster care system. Statistics in 2014 point departure rate from foster care of 21% versus the new 25% rate of 2018.
The trend with adoptive parents being most interested in babies and toddlers continues. More than 50% of children adopted through foster care in 2018 were under the age of 5.
Another significant win for kids adopted through foster care is the increase in sibling adoptions. A fiscal federal incentive helps families support.
The Duality Behind the Numbers
The increased number of adoptions through foster care is great news. Research shows that children thrive best in familiar situations and having more adoptions equal more families. However, the sad reality is that more adoptions can reflect the continuing opioid crisis. Those parents struggling with addiction and have their children removed often never regain rights to their children.
States that have higher numbers in the opioid epidemic experience higher numbers of children in foster care. For example, Ohio is hard hit by the opioid epidemic, the numbers of children in foster care increased by 32% from 2010 to 2018. With a lower reunification rate with parents.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, there is a lot of hope for those children who’s cases are open for adoption. Even though it does reflect a larger need for more resources to combat opioid addiction. For more information on foster care resources, please check out our website.
