National Adoption Month
By Sivonna Stringham, Resident in Counseling
Did you know as of late 2022, over 109,000 children were in a foster home and waiting to be adopted? Did you also know that most of the time children end up aging out of their foster home and don’t have a support system/any permanency?
National Adoption Month is celebrated in November – a time typically where families get together and celebrate the holiday season. The purpose of National Adoption Month is to help encourage people to learn about adoption and to acknowledge those that have been impacted by adoption (https://adoptionnetwork.com/community-events/national-adoption-month/).
History of Adoption Month
– Massachusetts 1976
– Mike Dukakis established the first effort for adoption like efforts called “Adoption Week” the first week of November
– Nationally 1984
– President Ford made “Adoption Week” a national event
– Nationally 1995
– President Clinton renamed “Adoption Week” to “Adoption Month” due to the number of events trying to fit in one week
Reasons to Celebrate
– Honor families that have been impacted by adoption
– Children that are currently waiting for permanent families
– Spreading awareness, etc.
Statistics on Adoptions (2022)
– 1 in 5 children between the ages of 13-17 wait to be adopted
– The average age of a child waiting to be adopted is 7.6
– 14% of the adoption population in US were Black
– 21% of that population waited to be adopted
– 5% of the adoption population in US were multiracial
– 9% of that population waited to be adopted
What You Can Do
No, this isn’t an article that will tell you to adopt a child(ren). Instead, some ways that you can show support to the cause (and maybe people around you that are adopting are: mentoring/supporting a child that is aging out of the foster system, do your research on the cause, and find events (or create your own) near you.
One thing that may not come to mind often about adoption is a sense of loss or grief. The child(ren) being adopted may lose a sense of identity due to feeling “different” from their adopted family members. The birth parents may also experience grief and mixed feelings of anger and sadness, even if adoption is the right thing. Whatever comes for all people impacted by adoption is valid and may even be normal. What’s important in those moments is to acknowledge what comes up and to have support and love while also recognizing no one is alone.
If you or someone you know would benefit from counseling, Sivonna Stringham is accepting new clients! Contact her by email: sivonna@counseling-connect.com or request an appointment on our website: www.counseling-connect.com
Resources
https://www.childwelfare.gov/adoptionmonth/about-national-adoption-month