National Adoption Month

Each November, we celebrate National Adoption Month, a time to honor adoptive families and spread awareness of the more than 100,000 children in the United States foster system waiting for permanent families.

A Brief History: From a Week to a Month

National Adoption Month started small. In 1976, Massachusetts Governor MichaelMike Dukakis declared the first Adoption Week. The idea spread quickly, and in 1984, President Ronald Reagan made it national.

President Bill Clinton expanded the week to a full month in 1995, encouraging the nation to help ensure every child has the stable, loving family they deserve. Today, the United Statesfederal Children’s Bureau spearheads National Adoption Month by collaborating on events and actions to promote adoption from foster care and recognize adoptive families.

The Core Mission: Finding Families for Waiting Children

While National Adoption Month is an occasion to celebrate all types of adoption, its core mission is focused on the more than 100,000 children in foster care who are legally available to adopt. Many of these children are older youth or children with special needs. Some are part of sibling groups who wish to stay together. All are waiting for a secure, caring home and the love of a permanent family.

What is National Adoption Day?

Launched in 1999, National Adoption Day is a focused nationwide effort to spotlight the children waiting for adoption from foster care and encourage courts to finalize pending adoptions.

A Day of Celebration and Finalizations

National Adoption Day takes place each November on a Saturday. Courts across the country open to finalize thousands of foster care adoptions. Communities organize to celebrate the new families with events that may include guest speakers, refreshments, and activities.

Visit the National Adoption Day website to find events near you.

How You Can Get Involved This November

National Adoption Month is about spreading awareness. There are many ways to participate, whether you’re considering growing your own family, or just want to help the cause.

For Prospective Parents: Take the First Step

If you’ve been thinking about foster care adoption, National Adoption Month is a great time to get started. Attend an informational meeting in your community, reach out to a licensed adoption agency, or begin your home study. Small steps now can lead to life-changing outcomes for a child who’s waiting for a permanent home.

For the Public: Be an Advocate

You don’t have to adopt to make a difference. Here’s how you can help:

Attend: Join or organize a National Adoption Month event in your community. Find resources and events near you.
Share: Use social media to spread stories, facts, and profiles of waiting children. The U.S. Administration for Children and Families provideshas banners and ideas for different social media postsnetworks.
Learn: Read about the realities of foster care and the needs of children in the system. The Child Welfare Information Gateway Library has the largest collection of resources online. Share what you learn with your community.
Support: Donate to or volunteer with organizations that serve children in care, or advocate for policies that strengthen the foster care system.

Beyond November: A Year-Round Need

While November brings national attention to adoption, children are waiting for families every single day of the year. Don’t wait to make a difference. Explore profiles of waiting children and discover how you can help a childone find their new permanent family.

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