Reflections on Hope(lessness)

The Latest National Foster Care/Adoption Trends 2008-2017

Each year the Children's Bureau, utilizing the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), releases statistical data concerning the US foster system. The numbers released do not reflect huge changes, however, a few of them really tug on your heart despite their seeming stability.

Here are a few of the numbers with some analysis:

- The overall number of kids in foster care for 2011-2012 was 396,000 and has gone up to 443,000 in 2017. This is an increase of nearly 11% but is not however the highest, which was 463,000 in 2008.

- "Children Waiting to be Adopted" showed an almost 19% increase, from 100,000 to 123,000.

The somewhat encouraging part is, of all the numbers in the report, that the number of kids exiting the system is keeping up with the number of kids entering it. But, our big takeaway is still heartbreaking on two accounts.

#1 The overall amount of children within the system is high, higher than anyone would want to see who cares about a child having a family.

#2 The number of children being adopted vs being reunited with their birth family has gone from 21% in 2014 to 24% in 2017. This is the highest its ever been.

Why would this be heartbreaking? Its because something is happening to these parents that is keeping them from being Mom and Dad again. What is?

There are some additional numbers from the 2018 report that somewhat help to shed light on the issues (Note: These are the Circumstances Associated with Child's Removal and are not inclusive):

Drug Abuse (Parental) 36% - 96,720

Caretaker Inability to Cope 14% - 37,057

Physical Abuse 12% - 33,530

Housing 10% - 27,929

Child Behavior Problem 9% - 24,756

There were 9 other associated reasons but those above were the big ones.

Many conjectures could be made as to the root cause, and there are certainly some very statistical arguments that could be brought in. However, I would pose that there is a specific theme here, in fact, I believe there is one word to sum up the entire reality of the situation. It does require some reading between the lines, but I think it is a very good case.

The word is: Hopelessness - A feeling or state of despair; lack of hope. (Webster)

So what do we do? Do we only keep adopting and fostering, or is there an additional way to decrease these numbers?

Ideas?

Report Source and Credit: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/resource/trends-in-foster-care-and-adoption

Photo Credit: www.wix.com