1st of November 2017

As of today, 112,000 children across the country are waiting to be adopted by permanent families. These children remain loved and cared for by their foster families, but never lose hope of becoming part of an adoptive family. For some children, this may take years. For others, this day may never come.

Over twenty years ago the Children’s Bureau designated November National Adoption Month to raise awareness of the need for permanent families for children in foster care. 2017’s campaign, “Teens need families, no matter what”, focuses on the need of finding adoptive families for teens in the foster care system. Teens are a group frequently overlooked by potential adopters because of their age and the perceived challenges associated with raising teens. While teens deal with different adjustment issues, many support services exist to help foster and adoptive parents navigate these challenges.

Teens in Foster Care Less Likely to Find Permanent Homes

Teens make up just 19% of the foster care population. However, a recent report by the Children’s Bureau found that nearly 80% of these teens age out of foster care before finding a permanent family. Teens are at a vulnerable stage in their development. They need adult role models and connections to ensure their healthy transition into the adult world. Without these stable connections, teens face higher rates of unemployment, pregnancy or fathering a child and lower educational attainment.

Trinity Youth Services prioritizes finding permanency for children in foster care. All foster families are part of a foster to adopt program, expediting adoption for foster families who choose to adopt. This allows for a seamless transition from fostering to adoption and continued support throughout the process.

Want to help local children and teens during National Adoption Month? Find out how you can support Trinity Youth Services by visiting our Get Involved page.

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Kelly Baumann, AmeriCorps VIP Fellow
Kelly specializes in creating and optimizing digital content for the Trinity Youth Services blog. She has ten years of experience as a marketer and has held a variety of positions including content writer, social media coordinator, public relations executive and content strategist. At Trinity Youth Services, Kelly focuses on sharing stories and information to educate the public about foster care, adoption and the programs that Trinity Youth Services provides.
Tel: (909)426-0773 | Email: kbaumann@trinityys.org