Looking for Forever Families
Our display will be featured in many public venues where people who have not considered adoption will be exposed to the opportunity. Some will want a specific child but will be encouraged that there are several children who need forever families. We will provide adoption information and help them begin the process. This will be a very powerful opportunity for our children. The more interested families we have, the more chances our children have for placement in permanent homes.
Last year, Missouri had 10,895 children in out of home placements: foster homes, relative placements and residential institutions (group homes).
Roughly 5,500 will go back home.
Roughly 3,500 will age out and others will stay in guardianship or kinship placements.
The State of Missouri has approximately 1,400 children waiting for an adoption placement.
- 5 % 0-1 year
- 25% 1-5 years
- 20% 6-10 years
- 28% 11-15 years
- 18% 16-18 years
- 4% over 18 years
(Bolded percentages are the age groups that we are targeting because this is the age group that's harder to place).
Length of Stay in foster care: 26 months.
On average, Missouri licenses 3,000 foster care and adoptive families annually.
Last year 64% of children in foster homes were adopted by their non-relative foster parents.
How will the Missouri Adoption Heart Gallery Project increase these numbers :
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We project to increase recruitment of foster and adoptive families by 80% (licensing 5,400 families next year).
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Many perspective adoptive parents still do not realize that older children are “adoptable”. Missouri Adoption Heart Gallery Project project will increase awareness to our communities that children in this state are waiting for families.
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Each child in Missouri Adoption Heart Gallery will represent all of the children waiting for permanency in the State. The community at large will see the faces of the children and this will encourage them to inquire about becoming a foster or adoptive parent.