How Adoption Affects Our Nation Today
Posted by provplace on October 21st, 2013
Each year in the US, millions of children experience hardship and emotional stress without a structured family support system. These children lack parental guidance, financial support, and consistent love and care in their lives, due to various situations such as the sudden loss of parents or guardians, abandonment, homelessness, or abuse.
Children without ideal family support may be placed in orphanages or in foster care. In a 2011 AFCARS report, 400,540 children were estimated to be in the foster care system in the United States (Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau). Foster care does not ensure a long-term or consistent caring environment for a child, and many times these children move frequently and await adoption opportunities.
Some of the children in foster care are successfully adopted. Organizations such as Adopt US Kids and Providence Place facilitate this process by providing better awareness of children in need of families and by assisting potential parents with the adoption process and education about adoption. They help many children to avoid ever entering the foster care system by engaging with birth mothers early and helping to arrange adoptions for newborn babies.
In 2012, Providence Place, which is based in San Antonio, Texas, helped 134 pregnant women and teens exploring adoption. Through their efforts at Action Adoption and the Women’s Center facilities, they placed 19 babies and children with families during 2012.
In addition to these successful adoptions, the Action Adoption team also provided adoption information to thousands of at-risk youth and healthcare professionals.
Keeping the public informed about adoption is vital in today’s society. The rate of teen pregnancy continues to be high, and many of these young individuals are unprepared mentally, emotionally, and financially for parenting responsibilities. When organizations share knowledge about adoption options and the adoption process with the public, children may be at less risk for abandonment, abortion or placement in foster care.
According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, over 43,000 Texas women under the age of 20 gave birth in 2011 (Texas Adolescent Reproductive Health Facts, HHS.gov). Across the United States during 2011, there were a reported 333,746 births to females under 20 years of age. These statistics track the number of births and may not include additional pregnancies that were ended before the full term.
Individuals and organizations offer resource materials, adoption seminars, special adoption supporting events, and counseling to spread awareness about adoption. Birth mothers and their friends and family are able to learn how the adoption process works, how to access maternal and post-maternal care, and how suitable loving families are chosen. Adoption can be brought to the forefront of available options that a teen may consider after discovering an unplanned pregnancy. As adoption becomes a primary choice for more birth mothers, fewer children will be subject to unfortunate circumstances and hardship.
Adopting a child is an important decision that requires careful consideration. Are you contemplating adoption, or are you already planning to adopt a child? Do you have any idea about how or where to start? Providence Place of San Antonio, Texas will guide you through the adoption process while making sure all your questions are answered. Contact us or visit provplace.org today to learn more about adoption and ways to get involved with our organization.
