Metro Voice News Celebrating Faith, Family & Community
There are approximately 113,589 children and teens in foster care in the U.S. who need loving, permanent forever families, as reported by the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS). That number includes approximately 500 Kansas children waiting to meet their forever families, according to Adopt Kansas Kids. These are children who have experienced abuse, neglect or other serious family challenges during their short lifetimes. There is a sense of urgency to match these youth with loving adoptive families as soon as possible so they can grow up in permanent family.
Power of Adoption
The 2022 theme of National Adoption Month is “Small Steps Open Doors,” which highlights the powerful impact of youth engagement and how simple actions build relationships. During National Adoption Month in November, KVC Kansas is helping facilitate 60 children’s and teen’s adoptions throughout the state.
On November 19, National Adoption Day, which is the Saturday before Thanksgiving, courthouses across the country will open to help families finalize their adoptions and celebrate as children find their forever families.
Individuals from all walks of life and all kinds of backgrounds can adopt children and teens from foster care. In addition, many people are surprised to learn that adopting a child, teen or sibling group from foster care is essentially free of cost as the adoption costs are funded by the state. Find heartwarming stories and profiles of children who need to be adopted at adoption.kvc.org and adoptuskids.org. These profiles include photos, bios and videos.
READ: Adoption & Fostering Annual Guide
During Fiscal Year 2021, AFCARS reported of those youth waiting to be adopted:
- 52% are male and 48% are female
- 43% are white, 21% are Black or African American and 23% are Hispanic (of any race)
- Seven years old is the average age
- 22% are between 13 and 17 years old
- Average time in foster care is approximately 34 months
Small Changes Add Up
Since 2005, KVC has matched more than 5,300 children with loving, forever families. KVC’s adoption work is done in partnership with the Kansas Department for Children and Families and Adopt KS Kids.
Interested in adopting? Click here to meet the youth currently waiting for their Forever Families!
2022 Courthouse Celebrations
KVC invites interested parties to observe adoption finalizations, talk to adoptive families, and bring attention to the children waiting for adoptive families at the times and locations below.
TOPEKA, KS – 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19
Shawnee County Courthouse
200 SE 7th St., Topeka, KS
OLATHE, KS – 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19
Johnson County Courthouse
150 W. Santa Fe St., Olathe, KS
