The Dave Thomas Foundation released yesterday the results of a five-year survey of national attitudes toward foster care adoption in the United States, along with the first ever Canadian Foster Care Adoption Attitudes Survey.
The U.S. report finds that 51 percent of Americans believe that every child is adoptable. The foundation says that while the perception of foster care adoption has improved, many Americans – even those who are considering foster care adoption – still have a negative impression of the process, the costs, and potential behavioral and medical issues with children in foster care.
“Understanding Americans’ perceptions about adoption is important to finding a safe, loving and permanent family for every child. While there are slight positive movements in these results, it demonstrates that our mission is more important than ever,” said Rita Soronen, president and CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, in a press release. “We must continue to dispel the myths that surround the 104,000 children who are waiting to be adopted from the foster care system. These children are there through no fault of their own, but because of the abuse or neglect they have suffered.”
The foundation partnered with Harris Interactive to conduct an online survey of more than 1,400 American adults for the 2013 National Foster Care Adoption Attitudes Survey. Similar surveys were conducted in 2002 and 2007.
The Canadian study found that if 0.4 percent of Canadians who have considered adoption from foster care would actually adopt, then every child currently in Canada’s foster care system would have a permanent home. In Canada, there are nearly 30,000 children available for adoption.
Both studies and more information can be found on the Foundation’s website.