Written by a Child in Foster Care

What do NFL Football Player Michael Oher, Musical legend John Lennon, Creator and Founder of Apple Steve Jobs, and myself have in common? We all found ourselves in the foster care system needing adoptive homes. I am going to speak to you today about adopting children through the foster care system.

There are many children in need of homes. In the state of Kentucky there are 8084 children in the foster care system. Of those children, there are 1774 children waiting to be adopted. Many of those children are over twelve years old. These children long for forever families. It is not their fault they are in the foster care system and they deserve loving homes. A loving home will give them a chance to be successful in school and life.

Adoption also provides many benefits for the adoptive parents. Adults who cannot have children of their own can still be parents. They get a child who will love them just as much as a biological child. They get to know they are providing a loving home for a child who, without them, would not have a family.

There are many other benefits to adopt a child through the foster care system versus adopting a child through a private agency. First adopting a foster child, you get support from the state agencies. They pay for parenting classes, offer trainings to assist you through the journey, and pay for the legal fees associated with adopting a child. Did you know that private adoption costs can exceed $40,000.00? To adopt a foster child, the only cost that isn’t covered by the state is $250.00 for the court filing fee. Sometimes depending on the county, the cost may be less.

In conclusion, there are many reasons to adopt a child through the foster care system. There are many children who need forever homes, Adults who cannot have children of their own can still be parents, and there is a greater support system for adopting a foster child vs adopting through a private agency. I hope when you start thinking about your own family that you will consider adopting a foster child. I am very thankful that my soon to be adoptive parents made that choice. I will no longer be one of the 1774 children waiting for their forever family.