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Adoption-To take into one's family through
legal means and raise as one's own child.
Dysfunctional-A consequence of a social
practice or behavior pattern that
undermines the stability of a social system.
Mean-The average value of a set of
numbers.
Median –The middle value in a distribution,
above and below which lie an equal
number of values.
Tangible Benefits – Benefits that can be
measured in terms of money.
Adoption was first established around two
centuries ago. 
 It started as a way to benefit adults instead
of children.
 Wealthy elderly people would “adopt”
adults so that they were able to gain their
inheritance.
 Today children are the greatest
benefactors of adoption.
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› They are placed in a loving and stable home
with a nice family.
There was a law that was passed in 1851 that was the first
to recognize adoption as a social and legal operation
based on child welfare rather than adult interests.
 The number of adoptions began to climb after 1900. A
new culture emerged placing a premium on children’s
innocence, vulnerability, and their secure membership in
families. Social security was now provided to the families
that were adopting children and this was though as a
tangible benefit
 The first agencies specializing in adoption were formed
between 1910 and 1930. These agencies were created
with a great optimism to provide children with a loving
family and a better chance at life, one they were
believed not to have been afforded with their often
unwed mothers.
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Adoption would be viewed as part of a
dysfunctional family structure.
They believe that when there is a disparity in
the social institution is considered a deviation
to be dysfunctional.
The label of dysfunctional has little to do with
psychological harm to individuals, instead it
refers to a failure of families to meet the
functional needs of society as a whole.
According to the structural functional theory,
single-parent families, regardless of the
parenting skills of the individuals within them
are by definition dysfunctional
Dysfunctional is not necessarily the word I
would call a family with unbiological
children in it.
 I thought that this view contributed to my
topic because adoption is thought as a
disparity with some more than others
depending on the cause of it.
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NONE!
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For understanding of my topic I would like
to compare the data of adopted children
from the years 2003 and 2008 for
comparison.
♥♥♥♥
How many children
were adopted… in
2008? – 55,000
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Gender
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› Male = 50% = 25,118
› Female = 50% = 24,882
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Age
› Male = 50% = 27,718
› Female = 50% = 27,282
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› Mean Age = 7.0
› Median Age = 6.1
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Race
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White = 42% = 20,869
Black = 32% = 16,554
Hispanic = 16% = 7,923
Two/more races = 4% =
2,180
Gender
Age
› Mean Age = 6.4
› Median Age = 5.2
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Race
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White = 44% = 24,377
Black = 25% = 13,687
Hispanic = 21% = 11,441
Two/more Races = 6% =
3,242
Months To Be Adopted
2008
2003
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› Mean Months = 14.1
› Mean Months – 10.3
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Family Structure
› Mean Months = 16.2
› Median Months = 12.0
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› Married Couple = 68% =
Relationship with child prior
to adoption
› Foster Parent= 54% = 29,610
› Other Relative = 30% =
16,749
› Non Relative = 16% = 8,597
› Stepparent = 0% = 44
Family Structure
› Married Couple = 67% =
37,164
› Single Female = 28% = 15,165
› Single Male = 3% = 1,392
› Unmarried Couple = 2% =
1,280
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Months To Be Adopted
33,647
› Single Female = 23% = 11,563
› Single Male = 3% = 1,358
› Unmarried Couple = 2% =
788
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Relationship with child prior
to adoption
› Foster Parent = 62% = 31,094
› Other Relative = 23% =
11,563
› Non Relative = 15% = 7,267
› Stepparent = 0% = 76
Adoption Exchange Industry is the closest thing to a global
connection to Adoption
 The Adoption Exchange is a non-profit 501(c)(3) child welfare
organization founded in 1983 to work for safety and
permanence in the lives of foster children. Initially an exchange
point for caseworkers to discuss placement of children with
families seeking to adopt in the Rocky Mountain region, the
organization has grown considerably over the years and now
impacts national trends in child welfare, employs over fifty paid
staff and counts on scores of volunteers to carry out its mission.
 Headquartered in Colorado, The Adoption Exchange offices
now operate in Missouri, Utah, New Mexico, and Nevada.
Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming are also participating
member states, and The Adoption Exchange's National
Education Center has established a national presence.
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Adoptive Family Structure
 Children in the Public Foster Care System
Waiting to be Adopted
 Adoption Turns Childs Life Around
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› She was born drug positive and suffered
neglect as an infant
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The Adoption Exchange
I have come to find out that through all
of my studies and research that the
number of children being adopted has
begun to rise while those just remaining
in foster care has declined.
 BUT…There is still work to be done. (“Age
Out”)
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Adoptive Family Structure. (n.d.). Administration for Children and Families Home Page. Retrieved July
25, 2010, from
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/stats_research/afcars/statistics/adoptfs_tbl8_2006.htm
Mustin, T. (2009, April 7). Adoption Turns Child's Life Around - cbs4denver.com. CBS4 Denver, Colorado
Breaking News, Weather, Sports From cbs4denver.com - cbs4denver.com. Retrieved July 25, 2010, from
http://cbs4denver.com/local/adoption.exchange.family.2.979136.html
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Price, C., & Assistant, P. (n.d.). History of Adoption. Christian Life Resources :: Clearly Caring!. Retrieved
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www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/stats_research/afcars/tar/report16.pdf
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Adoption Exchange . Retrieved July 25, 2010, from
http://www.adoptex.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_mission
Trends in Foster Care and Adoption—FY 2002-FY 2008. (n.d.). Administration for Children and Families
Home Page. Retrieved July 25, 2010, from
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/stats_research/afcars/trends.htm
Ph.D., B. T., M.A., S. R., & M.A., M. C. (n.d.). The Effects of Foster Care Placement on Young Children’s
Mental Health. The Effects of Foster Care Placement on Young Children’s Mental Health. Retrieved July
25, 2010, from www.medicine.uiowa.edu/icmh/archives/reports/Foster_care.pdf
all. (n.d.). Developmental Issues for Young Children in Foster Care -- Committee on Early Childhood,
Adoption and Dependent Care 106 (5): 1145 -- AAP Policy. AAP Policy - Journal of the American
Academy of Pediatrics. Retrieved July 25, 2010, from
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;106/5/1145