Our Nation’s Orphans: Finding Families for Children Who Do Not Want to Grow Up Without One

I recommend re-directing federal and state government funds that are allocated towards the foster care system towards spreading awareness about the number of foster youth in our country who are seeking permanent adoptive homes and targeting families to see their role in adopting eligible foster youth into their homes if they are financially and emotionally able. A service of the Children’s Bureau, The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), which is within the Department of Health and Human Services, works to address the needs of youth in the United States foster care system. Efforts by ACF and state and local agencies should be focused on finding permanent homes for these youth as a preferable outcome to changing foster homes every 22 months.

Problem

At any given time there are close to 100,000 foster youth across the United States who are eligible to be adopted. Research demonstrates that permanent adoptive homes for youth where reunification with their biological family is not an option provide the greatest stability and outcome. The social issue needs to be brought to the attention of all citizens in order to increase the number of foster youth who are seeking permanency, stability and support and who do not receive it from their biological families. Currently, non-profits such as the Heart Gallery in New York City are working to find homes for these youth through spreading awareness of the children with hopes of gaining support. The government and its citizens need to be mobilized to support our nation’s orphans as well. The issue is too large for small non-profit organizations to be the only ones working to find permanent adoptive homes for these youth. The number of youth needing assistance is constantly growing and there are not enough funds being spent, resources being utilized or families being found to find a home for every youth who is seeking one.