National Adoption Month

Every Child is an affiliate agency of the Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network (SWAN), which serves children in the custody of county children and youth agencies. Our SWAN program provides services, free of charge, to families who have provided permanency through adoption, formal kinship, or legal guardianship. We assist the family to identify strengths, establish goals, and locate community resources for ongoing support. Below are some facts about the current state of adoption:

• There are over 122,000 children and youth waiting to be adopted who are at risk of aging out of foster care without permanent family connections. (AFCARS report)

• Approximately one in five children in the U.S. foster care system waiting to be adopted are teens.

• Only 5 percent of all children adopted in 2018 were 15 - 18 years old.

• The risk of homelessness and human trafficking is increased for teenagers in foster care.

How can you help?

• Become a foster parent! The first step in becoming a foster parent is to attend an information session. Sign up for an upcoming session here!