The holidays are upon us, and we look forward to gathering with our families to share the numerous holiday traditions that Americans celebrate at this wonderful time of the year. Yet, for foster children, the holidays are incredibly painful. Many foster children will spend the holidays in group homes with other children who have experienced abuse and/or neglect. A few of them will be in the home of a foster family with a more of a family dynamic. Unfortunately, foster children move an average of three times a year. It’s heartbreaking, because as they begin to settle in and make relationships including connecting with their teachers and the foster home manager or foster family, it becomes necessary to move. It’s easy to see how their hearts and hopes begin to shut down. This is one of the main reasons we can say without reservation that if you adopt foster children, their lives and their futures are changed forever.
When Adopting Foster Children Doesn’t Happen, Their Future is Bleak
Every year, thousands of foster children around the U.S. age out of the foster care system. This means that no one has adopted them and they are now adults. Once a child ages out of the foster care system, they have to face life alone with no family. Facing life alone puts these children at much greater risk for drug addiction, teen pregnancy, mental illness, physical illness, and homelessness. This is why we say that when you choose to adopt a foster child, you truly are changing their future.
Take Troy for example. When he was two, he and his brother were adopted out of the foster care system. Troy was then given back, while his brother remained with his new adoptive family. For the next eleven years, Troy bounced from foster home to group home to a different group home. Eventually he quit unpacking, and his goal was simply to age out of the system. Troy was failing in school and was moved to a special education program to equip him with fundamental educational concepts. Then, at fourteen, Troy was adopted by a single man who just knew that someone needed to open their heart and home to Troy. Troy celebrated his first Thanksgiving and then his first Christmas with a family. He stated that as grateful as he was for the presents, he was most grateful to finally have a family. Troy is now excelling at school. He wants to be a doctor. All it took was for his adoptive dad to say, “I am going to find out about adopting foster children.” When he did, he discovered he could, and now Troy’s life is changed forever.
Are You Considering Adopting Foster Children?
If you are considering adopting foster children, we would be honored to walk beside you on your adoption journey. You can download information on how to adopt foster children HERE.
You are also welcome to join us for an informative online adoption seminar. You can get the online seminar schedule on our Facebook page HERE. Be sure to click on the Events tab at the top. You can also reach out to Ixcel Baca, our Forever Families program manager by calling her at 623-696-9537 or e-mailing her HERE. She would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about adopting foster children.
About Building Arizona Families
Building Arizona Families has been providing adoption services for families for over 15 years. We are a licensed, accredited non-profit adoption agency. We serve Arizona families who are interested in adopting foster children, and families around the U.S. who are interested in newborn or international adoption. You can read more about us HERE.