In the United States, there are approximately 588,000 children in foster care:
More than 134,000 children are waiting to be adopted
Of the children in foster care, 67 percent are children of color
61 percent are over the age of 5
25 percent have been in continuous foster care for more than five years
National Adoption Month has been observed every November throughout the United States for more than a decade. Its roots can be traced back more than 25 years. In 1976, the governor of Massachusetts first proclaimed Adoption Week and, later that year, President Gerald Ford made it official. It eventually became a tradition to celebrate Adoption Week in November. And, as awareness and participation grew, so did the number of states proclaiming the observance.
National Adoption Week became National Adoption Month in 1990. Today, National Adoption Month is observed throughout the United States. Its purpose is to provide national awareness, celebrate children and families, and call the nation to action to ensure safety, permanency, and well-being for all of our children.
Special Needs Adoption
Fact Sheet
The term "special needs" is broad and refers to children who:
have a history of abuse or neglect
are older
are children of color
have brothers and sisters who want to grow up together
have emotional, behavioral, or learning challenges
have been exposed to drugs or alcohol
have physical or health challenges