MasteramirConsidering adoption? Many have considered adopting a child but have been uncertain about the choice? Adopting can be the most generous and caring thing a person can do. You’re not only giving those children a chance for a better life, but you’re also giving them a family and a home.
Here are five reasons you should adopt a child.
1 MILLIONS OF CHILDREN ARE WAITING TO FIND A HOME.
The current estimate on the number of orphans in the world is 132 million. When you adopt even one of these children, you have the opportunity to drastically improve a child’s life.
2 YOU ARE GIVING A CHILD A BETTER LIFE.
Most of the children up for adoption are very young, averaging seven years old, and had no choice in their placement into the adoption system. Children in foster care are less likely to succeed and have lower GPAs than children who get adopted.
These children also have a greater chance at living a healthy, successful life when they are adopted. For example, foster children who are not adopted are more likely to become criminals. Of the children who age out of foster care, 60 percent of girls become prostitutes and 70 percent of boys become hardened criminals.
3 MANY CHILDREN LEAVE THE SYSTEM WITHOUT EVER BEING ADOPTED.
When these children are never adopted, they are left alone in the world without families or homes. These children often end up depending on another government institution for support. Each year 14.5 million children grow up as orphans and age out of the system by age sixteen. Of those children who age out of the foster system, 10 to 15 percent end up killing themselves before they’re even 18 years old. When you make the choice to adopt, you are giving a child another opportunity at life.
4 INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT MEANS CHILDREN NEED HOMES NOW MORE THAN EVER.
7.3 million children have been affected by the conflict in Syria in recent years. In the entire world, the number of children affected by violent conflict is 230 million. Some of these children are ideal candidates for adoption. Saving these children from a life of fear and armed violence is invaluable.
5 IT S UNTRUE THAT ADOPTION IS NOT AFFORDABLE.
Adoption from foster care averages around $1500. Not only this, but financial support is offered in many states to families who adopt from foster care. Additionally, subsidies follow these adopted children until they are 18 years old. There is a huge variety of grants available for families who want to adopt a child internationally as well. For a child with a disability, there are programs that will pay for both the child’s medical care and maintenance, making adoption affordable for many families.
If you haven’t considered adoption beforehand, perhaps now you are. It’s important that we ditch the stigma against children in foster care and open our heart to drastically change a child’s life.
