Campaign renews push to adopt teens from foster care
SEATTLE — Teenagers make up about 22% of the children waiting to be adopted in the foster care system. Yet, they account for only 12% of those adopted.
There's a renewed push to get teens, in limbo, their forever family. Belinda Roberts-Burnett said she was thinking about retirement when her husband, Willard, said he wanted to adopt a child.
"I didn't think that I was a candidate for adopting,” said Roberts-Burnett. “I thought I was too old. I thought perhaps I wouldn't be able to be an OK parent.”
Belinda's family is one of the families featured in a long-running campaign encouraging teen adoption from foster care.
Kamilah Bunn, the CEO of the National Adoption Association, is looking for more families like Roberts-Burnett’s.
“We absolutely are in urgent need for families to step forward for our youth,” said Bunn. “They deserve a sense of belonging."
In Washington state, there are just about 3,000 kids waiting to be adopted.
"These are young people who if we don't find connection, if we don't find a family for them (they) may not end up in a positive situation,” Bunn said. “So, we really want to do a better job of encouraging people and inspiring more people to consider adopting a teen from the U.S. foster care system because teens do have lower adoption rates than younger children.”
Data from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System shows teens make up 22% of children waiting to be adopted in the foster care system but account for only 12% adopted. Nearly 20,000 teenagers age out of foster care without a family.
Roberts-Burnett and Bunn are trying to change that statistic.
"Teens need love, and they have so many challenges that just finding a forever family will make life so much easier,” Roberts-Burnett said. “Just when we think we can't do anymore, we can. So do all you can to be a blessing to a teen today.”
Roberts-Burnett and her husband went on to foster more than 30 children, and they adopted three through the foster care system.
"I think that there's so many more people that can adopt and can foster they just don't think they have it in them, but, yes, they do," she added.
To start the process, first get connected to a representative in Washington. You'll need to attend meetings to learn about the process, including an informational meeting.
There will be training, along with a home study or home assessment. Then, you'll identify a young person to welcome to the family.