11/19/2009 9:01:00 AM A time to celebrate adoptive families
By ROBERT C. BYRD United States Senate
This Saturday is the 10th anniversary of National Adoption Day. As an adopted child myself, I am happy to join in celebrating those families who open their hearts and their homes to children in need. Unfortunately, there are still many children in need.
In 2006, an estimated 510,000 children were in foster care in the United States. Many of these children are eventually reunited with their parents, but more than 100,000 need permanent foster homes. Of the estimated 289,000 children who left foster care in 2006, 17 percent, or 49,130, were actually adopted. That is 49,130 happy new beginnings for children who may someday return the favor by achieving great things and raising great families themselves. After all, John Hancock, author James Michener, Apple Computer founder Steven Jobs, Oracle Corporation founder Larry Ellison, Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Palmer, and singer Faith Hill were all adopted.
The children in foster care awaiting adoption are as varied as the families they will join. Their median age is 10.2 years old. Some 40 percent are Caucasian; 32 percent are African-American, and 19 percent are Latino. Just over half are boys. Some have special needs and some have siblings. How many will grow up to be great artists or athletes or businessmen or U.S. Senators is anyone's guess, but we can be sure that without adoptive families to give these children a second chance, those numbers will be smaller.
National Adoption Day began in 2000 with events in nine cities. It has grown to include more than 300 events in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
More than 25,000 children's adoptions have been finalized on National Adoption Day since its inception, thanks to the collaboration among local adoption agencies, the courts and advocacy organizations like the Children's Home Society of West Virginia, the Alliance of Children's Rights, Casey Family Services, Children's Action Network, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, and the Freddie Mac Foundation. These groups and their efforts have raised public awareness of the many children in foster care who need a family to call their own.
Adoption, like all child-rearing, is not for the faint of heart. It is, instead, for the great of heart. I hope that more parents who may be considering adopting a child from foster care will take that leap of faith, and I applaud those who already have.
Somewhere out there, a foster child is waiting.
Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., is Congress' longest-serving member.
