US Adoption Statistics | Adoption Network (2024)

FAQs

Where do most US adoptions come from? ›

Most adoptions in the US are adoptions by a step-parent. The second most common type is a foster care adoption. In those cases, the child is unable to live with the birth family, and the government is overseeing the care and adoption of the child.

There continues to be a need for foster care parents and adoption placements, with about 117,000 children waiting to be adopted in the U.S., including 2,500 children in Pennsylvania.

While it is difficult to find an exact, accurate number to answer this question, Some sources estimate that there are about 2 million couples currently waiting to adopt in the United States — which means there are as many as 36 waiting families for every one child who is placed for adoption.

In fact, it's estimated that 75-80% of adoptive parents prefer to adopt girls both domestically and internationally.

Open Adoption

Open adoption is one of the most common types of adoption and is recommended for adoptive families and birth parents who want to get to know each other before and after the adoption. This type of adoption generally refers to sharing identifying information, usually without an adoption professional's help.

In the fiscal year of 2021, 27,145 of the children adopted in the United States with public agency involvement were white. In that same year, a further 10,991 children adopted in the country were Hispanic.

In the fiscal year of 2021, about 156 children from other countries were adopted by American families living in California, the highest of any U.S. state.

Yes, the United States continues to be the number one country that U.S. families adopt from, with 75% of adoptions occurring locally. In fact, the number of international adoptions continues to fall, while domestic adoptions rise. About half of these are private adoptions and the other half are from foster care.

The adoption process for Adoptive Parents is tough because adoption agencies, professionals, states and countries want to ensure that the child is going to a safe place. The child's safety and wellbeing are of the utmost importance, making the extra requirements incredibly necessary.

While adopting and fostering remain rare, practicing Christians are more than twice as likely as the general public to adopt and significantly more likely to consider adipting or fostering. Who is Adopting?

What happens to orphans who don't get adopted? ›

Kids who are not adopted often get passed between many foster and group homes until they age out at age 18-21. Kids with disabilities, including learning disabilities, are twice as likely to age out of the system. Once they have aged out, many of these young vulnerable adults face life alone.

The result: You can expect an average adoption wait time of 9-12 months with our agency. There are several areas where we go above and beyond to keep your adoption wait time low.

Every two seconds another child becomes an orphan. Less than one tenth of one percent will ever be adopted. so the likelihood is that an orphan will never be adopted. That's about 99.9%.

Of the nearly 4 million American children who are born each year, only about 18,000 are voluntarily relinquished for adoption. Though the statistics are unreliable, some estimates suggest that dozens of couples are now waiting to adopt each available baby.

The adoption process for Adoptive Parents is tough because adoption agencies, professionals, states and countries want to ensure that the child is going to a safe place. The child's safety and wellbeing are of the utmost importance, making the extra requirements incredibly necessary.

In this case, if you were to ask how many children go without getting adopted, the answer may surprise you. Although it is difficult to quantify, roughly 20,000 children “age out” of foster care each year. This means they are now legally adults without ever finding a family through adoption.

Child adoption facts show that over 90 percent of adoptees ages 5 and older have positive feelings about their adoption. Most adopted children are raised in happy homes by loving adoptive parents, so why would an adopted child hate his birth parents, the ones who provided him with a great life?

In the fiscal year of 2021, about 156 children from other countries were adopted by American families living in California, the highest of any U.S. state. Texas, Illinois, Virginia, and Florida rounded out the top five states for intercountry adoptions in that year.