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How Many Children are Adopted Each Year? [10 Adopted Kid Facts]

Adoption is a common and highly beneficial way for birth parents to create a better future for their child and give a hopeful adoptive family an amazing gift. 

  • Adoptees can experience a life full of opportunity with an adoptive family when their birth parents cannot provide the same care and support. 
  • Adoption creates a better future for everyone involved. 
  • Open adoption is the preferred type of adoption among birth parents and adoptive families. 

If you’re a prospective birth mother or adoptive family searching for adopted kid facts and statistics of adopted children, you can always call 1-800-ADOPTION to speak to one of our trained professionals today to get more information. 

Until then, here is a list of 10 important statistics of adopted children that show how adoption gives adoptees a life full of opportunity. 

1. How Many Children Are Adopted Each Year? 

As of 2014, statistics of adopted children showed the number of domestic infant adoptions was 18,329. That number has stayed consistent through 2020. 

The Department of Health and Human Services Children’s Bureau showed adopted children statistics reported a steady increase in adoption from the foster care system. As of 2019, more than 66,000 children were adopted via foster care. 

2. Adopted Children Statistics Show a Decline in Intercountry Adoptions 

Since 2004, global statistics of adopted children have shown an 82% decrease in international adoptions by American families. 

The reason for this decline is the increased popularity of working with highly trained private domestic adoption agencies that offer a full range of services and support, coupled with international adoption laws becoming increasingly strict. 

3. What is the Average Age in Private Domestic Adoption? 

Statistics of adopted children show that 62% of children in private adoptions were placed with their adoptive parents within a month of birth. 

By working with adoption agencies and professionals, adoptions plans are created and followed to ensure the process is smooth, safe and results in completed adoptions with very few delays in placement. 

4. Adopted Kid Facts: Adoption Becoming More Common 

As of 2015, one out of every 25 U.S. families with children has an adopted child. 

Whether it’s fertility struggles later in life, fostering a child and deciding to adopt permanently, LGBTQ couples starting families, or simply choosing to continue growing as a family through adoption, couples are choosing adoption at a higher rate than ever before. 

5. Statistics of Adopted Children and Education 

2007 CDC report looked into adopted children statistics related to the adoptive families providing them with educational resources to help adoptees succeed in reading, writing and participating in activities. 

  • 85% of adopted children participated in extracurricular activities at school. 

  • 68% of adopted children were read to every day as young children. 

  • 73% of adopted children were sung to or told stories every day. 

  • More than half were also reported to have “very good or excellent” performance in reading, language arts and math. 

6. Adoptees and Their Relationship with Their Adoptive Parents 

According to a 2007 National Survey of Adoptive Parents (NSAP), statistics of adopted children showed the following regarding their relationship with their adoptive family: 

  • 86% of adopted parents report that their relationship with their child “met or exceeded” expectations. 

  • 90% of adoptive parents said they would “definitely” choose adoption again. 

  • 90% of adoptees ages five and older have positive feelings about their adoption

  • And more 

The relationship adoptees and adoptive parents have is crucial for the child’s development. It also impacts their ability to cope and accept their adoption story, begin to create an identity knowing they have two stories to tell, recognizing that adoption gave them a life full of opportunity. 

Take it from our owner, Scott Mars, an adoptee himself.     

“My mom and dad were a couple who weren’t able to become a mom and dad without adoption. Of all people in this world, my mom and dad deserve to be parents. And without adoption, they would not have been able to share their love, share their life, and give someone the life that I had.         

“Because of adoption, my life was filled with love and opportunity.”  You can watch Scott’s video to see his entire adoption story. 

7. Adoptee Diversity 

Adopted children statistics in a 2010 Census shows 40% of adopted children are of a different race, culture or ethnicity than one or both of their adoptive parents.  

Adoption agencies with a large national reach offer matching services that include birth mothers and adoptive families open to or specifically looking for children of a different racial background. 

Additionally, minority groups are one of the largest growing groups of adoptive parents in the U.S. 

8. Same-Sex Couples and Adopted Kid Facts 

Members of the LGBTQ community actively pursue adoption and surrogacy. In fact, of same-sex couples raising children, 19% have at least one adopted child, according to 2011 U.S. Census data

Additionally, research shows prospective birth parents feel that LGTBQ couples show sensitivity, openness and freedom of biases, making them ideal adoptive parents. 

9. Adoption When Experiencing Infertility 

When it comes to why families choose adoption, adopted children statistics show that women who experience infertility are 10 times more likely to consider adopting a child. 

Infertility is on the rise, which has increased the popularity of adoption and surrogacy in the United States. 

Both offer amazing opportunities for families struggling with infertility to see their dreams of parenthood become a reality. 

10. Maintaining a Relationship with Birth Parents 

Statistics of adopted children show 68% of private domestic adoption are open, allowing adoptees and biological parents to maintain some level of contact. 

Many adoption agencies strongly encourage birth mothers to remain open while requiring adoptive families to be completely open when adopting. 

As technology advances, including increased usage of social media platforms, adoptees and birth parents are finding more ways to share a relationship. While some choose to limit the amount of contact, pictures, short messages and other forms of communication are excellent ways for adoptees to learn about their origin and adoption story. 

The Many Benefits of Adoption 

As you can see from our adopted kid facts, adoption is a special opportunity for birth parents to create a better future without the burden of parenting, for adoptive families to raise a child and for adoptees to have a life full of opportunity. 

Adoption is also continuing to remain a common pregnancy option for women. 

If you’re a family interested in adopting, you can complete this online form to speak to a professional about the adoption process today. 

Prospective birth mothers, you can get more information online here

We pride ourselves on supporting our adoptees and ensuring they have a voice to tell their amazing adoption stories. You can check them out by taking this link

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Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. American Adoptions provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.

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