Adoption Statistics

By Jerry Price - Jan 1, 2005 - comment

From 1957 through 1975, the federally funded National Center for Social Statistics kept records on all finalized adoptions. After the dissolution of that program, records were kept on a limited basis by the National Center for State Courts from 1990 though 1995. In 1997, the Adoption and Safe Families Act was passed. Under the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis Reporting System (AFCARS), States are required to collect data on all children in foster care for whom the State child welfare agency has responsibility for placement, care or supervision and to collect data on all adopted children who were placed by the state or an agency that has a contract with the state.

Adoption Statistics: A Brief Overview of the Data, 2000.

  • In 1992, 129,000 children were awaiting adoption in the U.S. Of that number, 53,000 were adopted

    Trends in Foster Care and Adoption, National Adoption and Foster Care Statistics, Administration for Children & Families

  • In 1992, a total of 127,441 children were adopted in the United States. Of that number, 15.5 percent (19,753) were placed by public, government-operated agencies; 37.5 percent (47,627) were placed by private agencies; 42 percent (53,525) were kinship or stepparent adoptions; and five percent (6,536) were international adoptions.

    Flango and Flango 1994 [Accessed August 24, 2004]

  • In 1997, there were 13,620 international children adopted by parents in the U.S.

    http://statistics.adoption.com/adoption_numbers_and_trends.php [Accessed August 24, 2004]

  • In 2003, there were approximately 21,616 children adopted through international adoption

    How Many People Choose Adoption? [Accessed August 24, 2004]

  • In 2001, twenty-two percent (116,653) of children in foster care were prospective adoptees. Of that number, 18 percent (46,668) were eventually adopted.

    The AFCARS Report [Accessed August 24, 2004]

  • In 2002, approximately 51,000 children were adopted from the U.S. foster care system.

    How Many People Choose Adoption? [Accessed August 24, 2004]

Further Learning

Learn more about: Family, Parenting, Adoption

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