Texas Adoption Trends and Statistics

Posted by provplace on August 20th, 2013

Adoption agencies are required to comply with standards and procedures set by the local and federal government, though they are given leeway in how to help adoptive couples complete the adoption process. Though there are strict guidelines and rules that must be followed, local Texas adoption agencies have experts ready to assist aspiring parents in their journey to becoming parents.

According to US State Department statistics, Texas ranked first in the number of successful domestic adoptions completed in 2012. Among the 616 domestic adoption completed in Texas last year, the majority of the children adopted were aged 1-2 years- old, followed by children aged 5-12 year-old, and then by those aged 3-4 years-old. There were 336 female children adopted in Texas and 280 male children adopted last year.

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, adoption in the US is dominated by private domestic adoptions, followed by foster care adoptions, and then by international adoptions. Regardless of the type of adoption a couple pursues, some adoption agencies will have additional requirements to complete the adoption process, especially in the case of international adoptions, also known as inter-country adoptions. And while international law and national law set the minimum requirements for adoption, other requirements and laws vary by state.

One such requirement that can vary depending on which state you are living in is who is eligible to adopt. The DHHS says that married couples make up over 70% of adoptive parents. In some places this may be a requirement to adopt. In other areas the rules may be less strict. Single women make up over 22% of adoptive parents and single men make up over 5%. Unmarried couples account for the remaining 1.6% of adoptive parents. Again, depending on where you live these proportions may vary due to standards set by the state or by the adoption agencies.

Different couples or individuals choose to adopt for many different reasons. In a recent survey of adoptive parents by the DHHS it was found that the most common reasons for adopting are to provide a permanent home for a child and to expand a family. Infertility is also a leading motivation for many couples to adopt. Other families choose adoption because they want to have a sibling for another child or because they adopted the sibling of another child waiting to be adopted. No matter the motivation, adopting a child is a way to give them a loving and supportive permanent home and family.

Though regulations and motivations vary, the adoption process is made easier with the guidance and counsel of the experts at an adoption agency. Adoption communities often host adoption events where aspiring parents can meet other adoptive families, hear adoption success stories and learn about their options. Anyone considering giving a child awaiting adoption a permanent loving home should contact a local adoption agency today to get the adoption process started.