National Adoption Month happens every November and it’s a time to highlight needs within our community and celebrate families being formed. In 1995 the first National Adoption Month was proclaimed by former President Bill Clinton and it has been a national and state-wide initiative ever since.
Our goal for National Adoption Month is to raise awareness for teens and sibling groups in foster care without forever families. Children do not outgrow the need for healthy, permanent connections with adults in their lives, and may especially need it during the difficult transition from childhood to young adulthood. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, only 11% of youth adopted through the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services were between the ages of 13 – 18, leaving hundreds of teenagers still in foster care and waiting to be adopted. Unfortunately, this age group is also the most at-risk of aging out of foster care without a permanent home. Additionally, sibling groups are commonly placed in separate foster homes and adopted individually. In FY 2021, about a third (35.7%) of sibling groups in Texas foster care were placed in different homes.
This holiday season, remember the teens and siblings in foster care waiting for a safe and loving forever family. While you are spending time with your family, consider if adding additional kiddos to your nest is the right next step.
To learn more about matched adoption visit us here, or donate to help continue the mission to help at-risk children and families heal.