National Adoption Month | Child Welfare Information Gateway
Skip to main content

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Child Welfare Information Gateway
  • About
    • Explore Topics
    • Casework Practice
    • Courts
    • Data Systems and Organizational Improvement
    • Funding, Laws, and Policies
    • Parents and Caregivers
    • Permanency
    • Prevention
    • Safety and Risk
    • Social Determinants of Health
    • Tribal Child Welfare
    • Well-Being
    • Workforce
    • Youth
    • Find Resources
    • State, Territory, and Tribal Resources
    • Search for Resources
    • Library Catalog
    • Children's Bureau National Initiatives
    • Children's Bureau Discretionary Grants
    • Child Welfare Information Gateway Podcast
    • Resource Collections
    • Stay Connected
    • Subscriptions
    • Contact
    • Events Search
  • CheckoutCheckout
  • How to Report Abuse and NeglectFind Help With a Personal Situation
group of six diverse  youth  standing and sitting for a picture

National Adoption Month

Honoring Youth: Strengthening Pathways for Lasting Bonds  

The Children's Bureau's National Adoption Month campaign seeks to increase awareness of adoption, bring attention to the need for adoptive families for teens experiencing the U.S. foster care system, and emphasize the value of lifelong connections. 

About the Campaign
  1. Home
  2. Adoptionmonth

Share:

Key Statistics

The following are key data from the fiscal year 2022 report for the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System.

Find More Key Facts
109,000
As of September 30, 2022, there were nearly 109,000 children waiting to be adopted.
1 in 5
More than one in five children waiting for adoption were ages 13–17.
34.9
The average time in care for all children waiting to be adopted was 34.9 months, or nearly 3 years.
  • National Adoption Month Resources

    3 young adults outside taking a picture

    Explore resources highlighting strategies that professionals can use to build relational permanency through lasting, lifelong connections and to support youth before, during, and after adoption.

  • Youth and Family Voices

    four children running outside

    View stories from youth and adoptive families. Adoption professionals can use these stories when discussing permanency planning with youth.

Featured Resources

  • Contact After Adoption or Guardianship: Child Welfare Agency and Family Interactions- NC Post Adopt

    Explore how child welfare agencies connect with families after adoption and guardianship, including through State-initiated contact and parent- or youth-initiated contacts. 

  • Preparing Children and Youth for Adoption or Other Family Permanency

    Explore ways for child welfare professionals to better understand the feelings and emotions children may experience regarding permanency and how to prepare them for placements with families, including adoptive, guardianship and kinship placements.

Stay Connected

  • Subscribe

    Sign up for National Adoption Month updates!

    Subscribe

Related Campaigns

National Reunification MonthMental Health Awareness Month

Related Topics

Adoption from Foster CareIndependent Living and Transitioning From Foster CareEngaging and Involving Youth and Young Adults PermanencyFoster Care

National Initiatives

  • National Child Abuse Prevention Month
  • National Foster Care Month
  • National Adoption Month

States, Territories, & Tribal Resources

  • State Statutes Search
  • National Foster Care & Adoption Directory
  • Adoption & Guardianship Assistance by State
  • State Guides & Manuals
  • Related Organizations

Information Gateway Resources

  • Search for Resources
  • Search the Library Catalog
  • Children's Bureau Discretionary Grants
  • Resource Collections

Helpful Links

  • Subscriptions
  • Major Federal Legislation Index
  • Child Welfare Information Gateway Policies
Subscribe to Free Updates
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Facebook
X
YouTube
LinkedIn
1-800-394-3366
info@childwelfare.gov
ACFACFChildrens Bureau

childwelfare.gov

An official website of the Children's Bureau and Child Welfare Information Gateway

  • About Children's Bureau
  • Accessibility
  • FOIA requests
  • No FEAR Act data
  • Report Fraud
  • Performance reports
  • Disclaimer and Policies
  • HHS Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
Looking for U.S. government information and services?
 Visit USA.gov