National Adoption Month: Fostering Youth Engagement in the Adoption Journey

Written By Kristy Brown, MPA, GPC

At SAFY, we strive for youth experiencing foster care to return home whenever safely possible. However, when this is not an option, a safe, permanent, and loving home through adoption is often the goal.  There are many youth (approximately 114,000 nationwide, according to the Children's Bureau) awaiting adoption. To raise awareness for the crucial need surrounding adoption, we highlight November as National Adoption Month.

Sponsored by the Child Welfare Information Gateway and Children's Bureau, the National Adoption Month theme is "Empowering Youth: Finding Points of Connection."  The voices and choices of the youth we serve are of utmost importance.  Youth engagement in the adoption journey empowers them to shape their future, make decisions, and actively participate.  Engagement in their own lives is vital for all youth to reach their full potential and we know it needs to be prioritized for youth in foster care for a number of reasons, including:

  1. Identity and connection:  Youth have a right to know where they come from and the opportunity to connect with their roots.  If we don’t help them make these connections, they’ll most likely do so on their own.

  2. Empowerment:  When including youth in decision-making, they develop a sense of ownership in their future, empowering them to make informed choices.

  3. Well-being:  Sharing their thoughts and feelings can significantly enhance a youth’s emotional well-being and provide security.

  4. Permanency:  Providing the opportunity for youth engagement leads to meaningful and permanent relationships for youth, according to the Children’s Bureau.  These relationships are considered a “powerful protective factor” in the lives of youth as they enter adulthood (youth.gov).

 Join us in honoring National Adoption Month by supporting youth empowerment in their adoption stories.  Let’s make adoption a genuinely collaborative effort.  Check out The Child Welfare Information Gateway for adoption resources and tools for working with youth through the adoption process.

Kristy Brown, MPA, GPC

With over two decades of experience in the human service sector, Kristy is driven by a deep passion for creating lasting social impact. Her expertise in program development, communications, and grant acquisition has enabled programs to scale and have a more profound effect on our communities. Kristy holds a unique perspective having worked at all levels of the child welfare field from direct service provision, marketing, development, and leading programs providing a strong knowledge of the issues facing the field. As the Communications Director for SAFY of America, she firmly believes engaging and inspiring storytelling is at the heart of meaningful change and strives to offer transformative work for the youth and families served.

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