Learn About U.S. Kids for Adoption During National Adoption Month

November is not just a month of falling leaves and cooler temperatures; it’s also National Adoption Month, a time to raise awareness about the urgent need to adopt children from the foster care system in the United States. With over 400,000 children currently in the U.S. foster care system, there’s a pressing demand for safe, stable homes and loving families to provide these children with the loving care and support they desperately need.

The Urgent Need to Consider U.S. Kids for Adoption

The statistics are staggering. In the U.S., there are hundreds of thousands of children waiting for adoption.  These children have suffered abuse and neglect, and as a result, parental rights were severed.  The children were removed from their homes and now live in group homes or with foster families.  If they are not adopted, many will age out of the foster care system without ever experiencing the love and security of a permanent family. Children who age out of the system face adulthood without many of the necessary skills to succeed.   They face increased risks of homelessness, unemployment, addiction, and involvement in the criminal justice system, making the need for adoption even more crucial so that these children who have already suffered so much will not continue to suffer.

Life-Changing Benefits for Foster Children and Their Adoptive Families

Adopting a child from foster care is a transformative experience, not just for the child but also for the adoptive family. For the children, adoption offers them a chance to escape a life filled with uncertainty and instability. They gain the gift of permanence and a loving, supportive family to call their own. Adoptive families, in turn, are enriched with the joy of nurturing a child, watching them grow, and creating lifelong memories together.

The benefits of adoption extend beyond emotional fulfillment. There is also financial support available to adoptive families, including adoption subsidies and assistance with medical and educational expenses. These resources ensure that adopting a child from foster care is a feasible and rewarding journey.

How You Can Make a Difference: Contact Building Arizona Families

If you live in Arizona and are considering U.S. kids for adoption, reach out to Building Arizona Families, a licensed non-profit, A+ BBB-rated adoption agency with a mission to help U.S. kids find loving homes. They offer guidance and support throughout the adoption process, ensuring that prospective adoptive parents are well-prepared to provide a stable, nurturing environment for their adopted child. Learn more about our Forever Families U.S. adoption program HERE.  Building Arizona Families assists Arizona families with the adoption of foster children around the country.  Reach out directly to Ixcel Baca at 623-696-9537 or [email protected].  You can also join one of our convenient online seminars about adoption. View the 2024 schedule HERE.

Whether you are considering adopting a child from foster care or another type of adoption, contacting Building Arizona Families is a significant step in the right direction.  By working with a licensed, reputable, non-profit adoption agency, you can be assured that the adoption process is professionally handled.

In conclusion, National Adoption Month serves as a reminder that there are countless children in the foster care system who long for the warmth and stability of a forever family. By adopting a child or supporting organizations like Building Arizona Families and We Are Their Future, you can change lives and provide hope and love to U.S. kids in need. Let’s work together to make a difference during this important month and beyond. Adopting a child from foster care is not just an act of kindness; it’s a profound transformation for both the child and the adoptive family, a true win-win situation.

How to Adopt U.S. Children from the Foster Care System

Families that adopt U.S. children from the foster care system discover that adoption can be incredibly fulfilling and life-changing for both parents and children. Thousands of children in foster care are waiting for permanent, loving homes. If you have considered adoption and are interested in providing a stable and nurturing environment for a child in need, this article will guide you through the process of adopting from the U.S. foster care system.

Understanding the U.S. Foster Care System

The U.S. foster care system provides temporary care for children who are removed from their biological families due to abuse, neglect, or other reasons that prevent them from living safely at home. Typically, the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunite children with their birth families after assisting families in resolving the issues that caused the child or children’s removal. However, when reunification is not feasible, parental rights are severed, and adoption becomes an option to provide a permanent home for the child.

Eligibility Requirements to Adopt U.S. Children

Potential adoptive parents must meet specific eligibility requirements to adopt from the U.S. foster care system. These may vary from state to state but generally include:

  • Age: Adoptive parents must be at least 21, although some states may have higher age requirements.
  • Legal Status: Prospective parents must be legal U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents.
  • Background Checks: All adults residing in the household must complete criminal background checks and child welfare agency background checks.
  • Financial Stability: Demonstrating financial stability is essential, but there is no minimum income requirement.
  • Training and Home Study: Prospective parents will need to attend pre-adoption training sessions and undergo a home study conducted by a licensed social worker to assess their suitability to adopt.  Building Arizona Families adoption agency provides this service for our Arizona adoptive families.

Adoption Research and Education

Before diving into the process of adopting U.S. children, educating yourself about the adoption journey and the needs of children in foster care is crucial. Attend adoption information sessions, workshops, and support groups to gain insights from experienced adoptive parents and professionals. Understanding the potential challenges and rewards of adopting from foster care will help you make informed decisions.  Building Arizona Families offers a free, downloadable information kit on the adoption process.  You can download it HERE.  We also offer convenient online seminars.  You can view the seminar schedule and RSVP HERE.

Choose an Adoption Agency or Facilitator

Choosing a reputable adoption agency or facilitator to assist you through the process. The adoption agency will provide guidance, support, and access to available children in the foster care system. Building Arizona Families is state licensed, experienced, transparent in costs and requirements, and has a strong track record of successful adoptions.  We provide adoption services for Arizona families who are eligible to adopt U.S. foster children from around the country.

Complete Pre-Adoption Training

Prospective adoptive parents are required to attend pre-adoption training. These sessions offer valuable insights into the adoption process, the challenges faced by adopted children, and the resources available to support both the child and the adoptive family.

Adoptive Families Must Undergo a Home Study to Adopt U.S. Children

A home study is a comprehensive assessment of the prospective adoptive family’s suitability to provide a safe and nurturing home for a child. A licensed social worker will conduct interviews, review documents, and visit your home to ensure it meets safety standards. The home study replaces the need for adoptive families to be licensed to foster children.  Building Arizona Families offers home studies.  You can find out more HERE.

Matching and Placement

Once your home study is approved, you can proceed with the matching process. You share your preferences for the child or children you hope to adopt with your caseworker. Preferences can include gender, age, general health, and race. The agency will work with you to find a suitable match between your family and a child in foster care. This process involves considering the child’s needs, preferences, and your family’s abilities to meet those needs. After a match is found, you may visit and interact with the child before they are placed in your home.

The Legal Process and Finalization

The legal process to adopt U.S. children will vary based on your state’s laws. Once a child is placed in your home, you may have a period of foster care placement before the adoption is finalized. You will have ongoing support and supervision from the adoption agency or social worker during this time. After all legal requirements are met, the adoption will be finalized in court, granting you legal parental rights and responsibilities for the child.

Post-Adoption Support

There can be unique challenges involved with adopting U.S. foster children.  Many adoption agencies offer post-adoption support services to help families navigate the adjustment period and address any possible difficulties. Support groups, counseling, and access to resources can be invaluable in ensuring a successful and happy adoption experience.

Conclusion

Adopting a child from the U.S. foster care system is a meaningful way to provide a loving and stable home for a child who has suffered significant trauma and needs a loving forever home in which to heal and flourish. The process may have its challenges, but with patience, dedication, and the proper support, it can be an incredibly rewarding journey for both the child and the adoptive family. Remember that each child is unique, and finding the right match requires time and consideration. By opening your heart and home, you can make a lasting difference in a child’s life and create a loving, forever family.

There is a great deal of information on our website about adoption through the foster care system, and a free, downloadable information kit is available here.  We invite you to review the information and register for one of our informative online adoption seminars.  You can view available dates and RSVP here.   Additionally, please feel free to reach out to our Forever Families program manager, Ixcel Baca, by cell phone at 623-696-9537 or by e-mail at [email protected].

Building Arizona Families has been serving families since 2004, and we enjoy an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.  More importantly, we are a licensed adoption agency through the Arizona Department of Child Safety’s Office of Licensing and Regulation.  This means our adoption agency meets the criteria to facilitate adoptions and illustrates that we operate in the best interest of the children we serve.  Please find out more about our licensed adoption agency HERE.  Please reach out with any questions you have; it would be our privilege for We Are Their Future to serve you and your family!

Over 100,000 Foster Kids are Waiting to be Adopted Right Now

On any given day in the United States, there are approximately 400,000 children in the U.S. foster care system.  Of those 400,000 children, approximately 124,000 are waiting to be adopted.  There is always an urgent need for loving families to adopt U.S. kids.

Older Children, Sibling Groups, and Special Needs Children Waiting to be Adopted

Each year, approximately 20,000 youth age out of the foster care system when they turn 18 or 21.  When kids that need to be adopted turn thirteen, the likelihood of adoption is 3%, and the percentages decrease from there. These children have to face adulthood alone without the support of a loving family.  Older children are not as readily adopted as younger children. Read more about the need to adopt teenagers before they age out of the foster care system HERE.  Additionally, the best case scenario is to keep brothers and sisters together, as the children have already experienced traumatic family loss.  Special needs children also are less likely to be adopted as they often need extra care due to medical conditions or emotional disabilities.  If you want to adopt U.S. kids and are able, please consider adopting children who are less likely to be adopted.

Adopt U.S. Kids From Any State

Building Arizona Families helps Arizona families adopt U.S. kids from around the country.  As an Arizona licensed adoption agency, we serve Arizona families in the foster child adoption process.  You can download helpful information about adopting foster children on our website HERE.   Building Arizona Families’ program for foster child adoption is called the Forever Families program.  Since 2004, we have helped hundreds of families change the lives and futures of children in foster care who desperately want to be loved and belong to a forever family.

State governments that oversee the children’s welfare recognize that children thrive in loving families, and so state agencies do their best to place children eligible for adoption with families that best match their needs.  Adopting children from foster care does not require adoptive families to be foster care certified.  Adoption approval is granted through the home study process, and Building Arizona Families can walk with your family every step of the way through the home study and adoption approval process.

Why Choose Building Arizona Families

If you would like more information about how to adopt U.S. foster kids, please reach out to Ixcel Baca at 623-696-9537 or by e-mail at [email protected]. We also offer informative online seminars. You can find out about the most current schedule and RSVP on our Facebook page. Why choose Building Arizona Families? Building Arizona Families is an Arizona–licensed, IRS–registered non–profit, licensed, and accredited adoption agency. We have provided adoption services since 2004 with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Please find out more about us here.

Who Qualifies for Foster Child Adoption?

Foster child adoption requirements vary from state to state. Building Arizona Families, a licensed, non-profit, and BBB A+ rated adoption agency, serves Arizona families who want to adopt foster children.

Eligibility for Foster Child Adoption

In Arizona, any single adult or married couple can adopt. Stepparents can also adopt foster children if their spouse has legal custody of the child. Adoptive parents must be at least age eighteen to adopt. There is no maximum age for adoption. To qualify for foster child adoption, Arizona requires adoptive parents to be U.S. citizens, pass an FBI and local criminal background check, obtain child abuse registry clearances for each state they have lived in the past five years and have a Level 1 Fingerprint Clearance card issued by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Anyone else in the home who is over the age of eighteen must also obtain all the clearances and have a Level 1 Fingerprint Clearance Card. The adoptive family must own or rent a home or apartment. Building Arizona Families will conduct a home study as well. During that time, prospective adoptive families provide the necessary legal documents, receive adoption education, and are interviewed by the adoption agency case worker. View more information about how the adoption home study process works HEREAdoptive families must obtain a physician’s statement verifying emotional and physical health. There is no specific income necessary to adopt foster children, but adoptive families must prove financial stability.

Foster Child Adoption is Probably Easier Than You Think

Federal and state governments, child welfare agencies, and adoption agencies recognize that children thrive in loving families. As a result, once a child’s parental rights are severed, the adoption process can move quite quickly. Building Arizona Families has helped hundreds of Arizona families through the foster child adoption process, and we would be honored to support you in your adoption journey.

Download the Free Info Kit on the Foster Child Adoption Process

There is a great deal of readily available information on our website about the foster child adoption process, the costs of adoption, timelines, and the process of being matched with your adoptive child. Go HERE for more information. Please join us for one of our convenient online adoption seminars. Find out dates and times HERE. You can reach out directly to Ixcel Baca at 623-696-9357 or [email protected].

Building Arizona is a licensed adoption agency with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Please reach out at any time. We would love to serve you and your family.

Qualify to Adopt Foster Children in Arizona

You Might Qualify to Adopt Foster Children in Arizona

Did you know that there are foster children throughout Arizona who can’t return home, have had their parental rights severed as a result of unmitigated life threatening abuse and neglect, and are hoping that someone will open their heart and home to them? They want forever families. They want to be adopted. If this moves your heart, you might be surprised at who can qualify to adopt foster children in Arizona and throughout the United States.

Wesson is Waiting

Meet Wesson! If you want to adopt foster children in Arizona, Wesson is hoping and praying for a forever family! He is active, adventurous, polite and fun to be around. Wesson loves music and is currently taking guitar lessons through All Kids Need Music, and has even written a few songs! You can find out more about Wesson HERE. And, if you believe you can open your heart and home to Wesson, please reach out to Ixcel Baca, the Forever Families program manager at Building Arizona Families.

Criteria to Adopt Foster Children

To adopt foster children, you have to pass a home inspection, but that doesn’t mean you have to own your own home. Home can be an apartment. You have to be financially stable, but you don’t have to be wealthy. The process to adopt foster children is the least expensive of all types of adoption.

You need to provide a loving family environment, but you don’t have to be married. Single parents are welcome to adopt foster children in Arizona and throughout the United States.

To adopt foster children through Building Arizona Families, you need to be residents of Arizona. The foster children do not have to be residents of Arizona, and Building Arizona Families will work with you to adopt a foster child or foster children that best suit your family.

If You Adopt Foster Children, You Change a Child’s Future

Foster children whose parental rights are severed and are unable to be reunited with family are truly orphans. They are cared for by state child protective agencies and primarily live in group homes. On average, they move three times a year, which often means changing schools, losing trusting relationships, friends and encouraging teachers. Over time, these vulnerable children lose down emotionally, and do not want to continue to make caring relationships only to love them. They also fall behind in school because of the frequency of moving, and in many instances get discouraged and quit trying. If they are not adopted out of the foster care system, the outcomes are even worse. Children who were abuse and neglected now find themselves facing the world alone as young adults without the support they need to successfully navigate life. If no one steps up to adopt foster children and they age out of the system, most do not attend college. Many wind up homeless and addicted.

The story changes dramatically when they are adopted. Being welcomed into a loving family and stable living environment helps them heal emotionally. They often improve rapidly in school, and their outlook on their future becomes much brighter.

Can You Change a Child’s Future?

Find out if you can adopt foster children in Arizona and throughout the U.S. We invite you to attend an informative online seminar about adopting foster children. You can go to the Events tab on our Facebook page to view upcoming seminars and RSVP for the one that best meets your needs. Go here to view the schedule.

You can go to our Forever Families page on the website to learn more. You are also welcome to reach out with your questions at any time. Just go to our Contact Us page for who to reach out to, and ways to reach out.

Support National Child Abuse Prevention Month with Foster Adoption in AZ

In April, we recognize Child Abuse Prevention Month and the importance of our families and communities working together to help children experiencing abuse and/or neglect. Through the collaboration of many, we can help protect these children by adopting children in foster care. In Arizona right now, 2,969 children are considered legally free and are living in foster care. When birth parents’ rights have been terminated by the state, their children are considered legally free for adoption. These children are anxiously waiting for a family to adopt them and give them a life full of love, safety, and permanency. Foster adoption in AZ can save a child’s life. 

Families living in Arizona can change a child’s life forever and grow their family by adopting foster children. Building Arizona Families offers the Forever Families U.S. Adoption Program which helps facilitate direct placements of foster children waiting for adoption in AZ and around the United States. Arizona families can help stop the horrific cycle of children living without a family and experiencing abuse and/or neglect. No child should be suffering and deserves a beautiful life full of love and support. To find out more about opening your forever home to a foster child in great need, please visit us HERE to find out more about the Forever Families U.S. Adoption Program. Building Arizona Families is a non-profit, licensed, and internationally accredited adoption agency serving families across the United States. Visit us HERE to learn more about our Arizona adoption agency.

Building Arizona Families Offers the Forever Families U.S. Foster Adoption in Arizona Program to Help Families Adopt Kids out of Foster Care

Contrary to what many people believe, you do not have to foster to adopt foster children. We will help you walk through the direct adoption of children in the foster care system. Download our foster child adoption info kit HERE.

We can work together to help innocent children heal from abuse, neglect, loneliness, fear, and sadness. Direct adoption of a foster child is less expensive than private adoption and may be a faster adoption process. The states these children reside in will help facilitate the adoption of foster children whose parental rights are severed because they recognize the urgent need for children to grow up in loving families. Visit us HERE. We can help you begin your adoption journey and offer a child in great need a life full of love and safety.

Adopt Children in Foster Care to Start a Life with Love and Stability as a Forever Family

Almost half a million children around the United States are waiting every day for someone to adopt them and change the life they are living. Will you be the one to change their story and adopt foster children? Learn more about the Forever Families program Building Arizona Families offers to adopt foster children in Arizona and around the U.S. HERE. You can be the change they are praying for!

We also invite you to attend one of our informative adoption seminars. You can reach out to Ixcel Baca, Program Coordinator, directly and ask any questions you might have. Ixcel would love to hear from you! You can reach Ixcel at (623) 696-9537 or by e-mailing her at [email protected].

Sources –

https://dcs.az.gov/reports

We Offer Foster Adoption Services for Forever Families in Arizona

We Are Their Future is always working diligently to help children around the country find a forever home full of love and security. Children living in foster care have experienced such heartbreak, abandonment, and sadness in their young lives. No child should have to feel what so many children experience every day when losing their family. Adoptive families have the amazing opportunity to change a child’s life forever by giving them the answer to their prayers – a forever home full of love, laughter, and life. Building Arizona Families offers a beautiful program for forever families adoption services called the Forever Families U.S. Adoption Program.

The Forever Families Adoption Services Available with Building Arizona Families Arizona Adoption Agency

Who is Eligible to Adopt Foster Children?

Our Forever Families U.S. Adoption Program is an incredible program for adoptive families who live in Arizona. Arizona families can adopt foster children in Arizona and throughout the United States who have been found legally eligible for adoption.

Building Arizona Families does direct adoption placements. This means that the adoptive family is not foster care certified but licensed to adopt through a home study; making these direct adoptions. To adopt foster children in Arizona or from around the country, the foster children come to live in your home. After approximately six months, your family legally adopts the children.

What is a Home Study?

Home studies are mandatory for every adoptive family in the United States, whether they are adopting a child domestically or internationally. Our home study reports satisfy the State of Arizona’s legal requirements as well as the requirements for domestic adoptions in other states, international adoptions, and all out-of-state adoption agencies coordinating child placements.

Our goal is to make the home study a positive experience and support you in becoming adoptive parents. We offer resource materialsand personal support. Learn more about building a home study HERE.

What is the Process of Adopting a Foster Child Through the Forever Families U.S. Adoption Program?

The necessary steps to adopt foster kids in Arizona or from around the country are similar and apply to Arizona families as follows:

– Choose the type of adoption

– Select an agency or facilitator

– Complete a home study

– Wait for a placement

– Finalize the adoption

If you feel called to open your heart and home to a foster child in need of a loving and forever home, please download our info kit HERE for more information about our forever families adoption services. We are thrilled to help families on their adoption journey and to find beautiful homes for children in need. Learn more about other adoption programs with Building Arizona Families, HERE.

Foster Children Are Just Children Wanting a Family to Love and Accept Them

Building Arizona Families invites you to consider adopting a foster child. Remember, contrary to what many people believe, you do not have to foster to adopt foster children. We will help you walk through the direct adoption of children in the foster care system. Download our foster child adoption info kit HERE. Learn more about the Forever Families Program Building Arizona Families offers to adopt foster children HERE. You can change the life of a foster child forever! Learn more about how We Are Their Future supports foster children in Arizona and around the U.S., HERE.

We also invite you to attend one of our informative adoption seminars. You can reach out to Ixcel Baca, Program Coordinator, directly and ask any questions you might have. Ixcel would love to hear from you! You can reach Ixcel at (623) 696-9537 or by e-mailing her at [email protected].

Adopt Foster Children from Foster Care in Arizona or Around the U.S.

There are over 3,000 children in foster care in Arizona alone that are legally eligible to be adopted right now. As heartbreaking as it is, these children’s biological parents no longer have parental rights. These children desperately need a family to offer them support, care, love, and, more importantly, a forever home. Married couples, families, and even single applicants can be eligible to adopt foster children who are eagerly waiting for a family. A foster child’s life is restored when they are welcomed into a safe, loving, and permanent home with their forever family.

Building Arizona Families Encourages Us to Adopt Arizona Foster Children

Are you wondering if you are eligible to adopt children from Arizona foster care? To adopt children from foster care in Arizona or around the U.S., applicants need to be living in Arizona and found legally eligible to adopt a child or teen in foster care. Applicants do not need to be foster care certified to adopt foster children in Arizona but certified to adopt through a home study. For approximately six months, a child will be welcomed into the adoptive home before being legally adopted. Learn more about the requirements to adopt Arizona foster children HERE.

The majority of foster children are five years of age or older. There are also sibling groups or children who have a higher level of need. All children in the foster system deserve to feel the stability and love of a forever family. Download our Adopting Foster Children Information Guide HERE.

We Need Men and Women to Make a Difference in the Lives of Children in Arizona and Around the United States

Foster children need reliable and safe adults to help turn their life away from loneliness, abuse, and/or neglect. Because of the circumstances children in foster care may experience daily, foster children struggle to form crucial bonds with safe and supportive adults. Becoming a forever parent to a foster child, who no longer has a family of their own, will fill them purpose and begin to instill trust and important values into their lives.

Building Arizona Families would be honored to walk with you on your journey to adopt foster children in Arizona. As a non-profit, licensed Arizona adoption agency, we have helped families with the adoption process since 2004. Please reach out to Ixcel Baca, Program Manager for the Forever Families foster adoption program at Building Arizona Families, by phone at 623-696-9537 and by e-mail [email protected]. Building Arizona Families also offers free adoption information seminars online, be sure to reach out to Ixcel for upcoming seminar dates and times!

There is a Loving Home for All Foster Children Needing a Forever Family

Over 400,000 children face life with uncertainty, without their family, and in unfortunate circumstances out of their control. In the United States, over 400,000 foster children are experiencing difficulties in their life that youth should never have to experience. These children are used to a life with frequent moves between foster homes and even changing schools with the moves and desperately need a forever family to bless them with a family that loves and cares for them. 

A forever home can drastically change a foster child’s life when raised in a home with love, structure, and permanency. Some foster care children don’t know what it’s like to have their own room or celebrate holidays with a family. In Arizona, over 2,600 children are legally free and ready to be adopted now. Building Arizona Families walks alongside adoptive families who want to welcome a foster child into their home. To learn more about the Forever Families U.S. Adoption program, please visit us HERE

Children Around the U.S. are Waiting for Someone to Love Them as Family

When a child in foster care is legally free, the state has terminated their birth parents’ rights. These children are wards of the state with no legal parents. Foster children in Arizona that are legally free and waiting for a family in foster care have lost so much in their short life. The loss of family, friends, and home can be detrimental for a child experiencing these circumstances at such a young age, causing issues that may follow them into adulthood. Young children in foster care need the love and safety during this crucial developmental period. Foster children need a safe place offering positive experiences during the healing process for the child. 

Families who want to adopt a foster child or a sibling group can continue their adoption journey without becoming foster certified. If your family feels the need to open your home to a loving child in desperate need of a forever family, there is a faster adoption process available. Building Arizona Families offers an exciting program for adoptive families in Arizona, which helps families adopt foster children. Children around the U.S. that are found legally eligible for adoption can be placed directly with an adoptive family in Arizona. Many of these children are five years of age or older. Younger children may be available but are mainly in sibling groups or needing a higher level of care. 

Through a direct adoption placement, the adoptive family is not foster certified but licensed to adopt through a home study. During this process, the child lives at the adoptive family’s home for approximately six months until the family legally adopts the child. Building a forever family is a beautiful and wonderful way to offer a safe, loving, and permanent home to a child who deserves one. To learn more about the Forever Families U.S. Adoption program, please download our info kit HERE and visit our website HERE for more information. 

Families Do Not Need to be Foster Certified to Adopt Foster Children and Build Your Forever Family

We Are Their Future and Building Arizona Families invites you to consider adopting a foster child in Arizona or anywhere else in the U.S. Remember, contrary to what many people believe, you do not have to be licensed foster care providers before adopting Arizona foster children. If you reside in Arizona and meet the requirements through our licensed adoption agency, Building Arizona Families, you are eligible to adopt a foster child from anywhere in the U.S. Download our foster child adoption info kit HERE.

We also invite you to attend one of our informative adoption seminars. You can reach out to Ixcel Baca, Program Coordinator, directly and ask any questions you might have. Ixcel would love to hear from you! You can reach Ixcel at (623) 696-9537 or by e-mailing her at [email protected]. Learn more about the Forever Families program Building Arizona Families HERE. You can change the lives of children in need of a family, forever! 

Sources – 

https://dcs.az.gov/news-reports/dcs-reports

https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/106/5/1145.full.pdf

Adopt Foster Kids in Arizona Facing Aging Out During the Pandemic 

Aging out of the foster care system without ever being adopted is just heartbreaking. As the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted families willing to open their hearts and homes, the numbers are rising. When a teenager ages out of the foster care system, their chances of homelessness, drug use, pregnancy, and incarceration rise significantly. In the current pandemic, when these teenagers face the world alone, they face a massive drop in available jobs, an unsure education system, and assistance programs that are becoming inundated.  To protect them from facing the harsh realities of being alone in the world, we encourage Arizona families to adopt foster kids in Arizona and around the United States.

Teenagers in Foster Care are Facing Frightening Times Now More Than Ever

A teenager that is reaching the age of 18 begins to think of their life after foster care. Where will they live? Where will they get their next meal? How will they maintain a job? There is an endless list of questions that run through a teen’s mind when facing the end of foster care. But due to recent societal concerns, aging out of the foster care system has become an even more frightening experience.

Foster children in Arizona and around the United States face heart-breaking living conditions once they turn 18 and legally become an adult. Building Arizona Families, our local Arizona adoption agency, advocates for Arizona families to adopt foster kids in Arizona or anywhere around the United States to give a teenager the loving home and consistent relationships that they have hoped for. This is a chance Bianca Bennett would have been forever thankful for if she were given an opportunity to grow up with a forever family instead of aging out.

Bianca Bennett entered the foster care system in New York when she was only two years old. Bianca reentered foster care at the age of 13 and eventually aged out of the foster care system. Like many adults who age out of the system, Bianca spent months sleeping on different people’s couches. Because of the pandemic, Bianca now faced even more unusual times. She was able to move to Florida to attend college, but the coronavirus shut down caused her to no longer have a dorm to reside in. Bianca eventually had to move back to New York and does not know what her future looks like.

So many foster youths are facing these same unfortunate experiences as Bianca. One national poll found that 25% of foster youth at the critical aging out phase are experiencing food insecurity, 40% are being forced to move, and 33% only have enough money to cover living costs for a week or less. We can help these youths in foster care! Through our Forever Families U.S. Foster Adoption Program, we can assist Arizona families who want to adopt foster kids in Arizona or around the U.S. Building Arizona Families encourages any family who is wanting to grow to consider blessing a kid’s life forever and adopt foster teens. Learn more about the Forever Families U.S. Foster Adoption Program, HERE.

You Can Adopt Foster Kids in Arizona and Change Lives Forever

Building Arizona Families is a local, non-profit, Arizona adoption agency that is accredited and licensed. Arizona families can adopt foster children in Arizona and around the United States. Foster children are in desperate need of loving homes, now more than ever. Shortages of foster homes and a rise in the number of foster licenses not being renewed are causing foster children to live in emergency shelters, a place no child should ever have to live. Today about 14,000 foster kids in Arizona are waiting for a family to welcome them home and give them a fresh start. But less than 4,000 foster homes are waiting for them.

Building Arizona Families invites you to consider adopting a foster child in Arizona or anywhere else in the U.S. Remember, contrary to what many people believe, and you do not have to be licensed foster care providers before adopting Arizona foster children. Download our foster child adoption info kit HERE.

We also invite you to attend one of our informative adoption seminars. You can reach out to Ixcel Baca, Program Coordinator, directly and ask any questions you might have. Ixcel would love to hear from you! You can reach Ixcel at (623) 696-9537 or by e-mailing her at [email protected]. Learn more about the Forever Families program Building Arizona Families offers to adopt foster children HERE. You can change the life of a foster child forever!

Sources –

https://dcs.az.gov/news-reports/dcs-reports

https://www.thenation.com/article/society/what-happens-when-you-age-out-of-foster-care-during-a-global-pandemic/