Children not Statistics

Statistics disturb me... I never trust the source, always thinking they must be biased in some manner. These are statistics that I know to be correct, and that also disturbs me. Actually it brakes my heart which is part of my struggle with maintaining our Foster License. I read these numbers, and since we have now adopted three kiddos from Foster, these numbers are living breathing souls for me.

In the U.S. 400,540 children are living without permanent families in the foster care system.  115,000 of these children are eligible for adoption, but nearly 40% of these children will wait over three years in foster care before being adopted.

Each year, over 27,000 youth “age out” of foster care
without the emotional and financial support necessary to succeed.  This number has steadily risen over the past decade.  Nearly 40% had been homeless or couch surfed, nearly 60% of young men had been convicted of a crime, and only 48% were employed.  75% of women and 33% of men receive government benefits to meet basic needs.  50% of all youth who aged out were involved in substance use and 17% of the females were pregnant.

Nearly 25% of youth aging out did not have a high school diploma
or GED, and a mere 6% had finished a two- or four-year degree after aging out of foster care.  One study shows 70% of all youth in foster care have the desire to attend college.

As of 2011, nearly 60,000 children in foster care in the U.S. are placed in institutions
or group homes, not in traditional foster homes.

Over three years is the average length of time a child waits
to be adopted in foster care.  Roughly 55% of these children have had three or more placements.  An earlier study found that 33% of children had changed elementary schools five or more times, losing relationships and falling behind educationally.

You can find all of these statistics and more at http://www.ccainstitute.org/why-we-do-it-/facts-and-statistics.html

What would have happened to these 3 kiddos if we had not become Foster Parents? Where would they be? How many homes would they have lived in? Would they have received the help that they need?

What about all the others? Every child deserves a chance, no child asked to be part of these statistics. I know I cant save the world... But I will die trying.