Why Is It So Difficult for Singles to Adopt?

Single women represent the fastest growing segment of adoptive parents; of the 50,000 children placed in U.S. homes through public (foster care) adoptions in 2001, 32 percent were adopted by single women.

Roughly 30 percent of all families (adoptive and otherwise) are headed by a single parent, with one of every four children being raised by a single parent.

Singles adopt for the same reasons couples do: they love children and want to be parents. But singles who hope to adopt—particularly those who want to adopt infants—are finding it increasingly challenging to do so.

U.S. Infant Adoption
In domestic infant adoptions (where the birth parents generally choose the people who will raise their child), birth parents most often choose couples, saying they prefer their child to grow up in a two-parent family.

Domestic Independent Adoption
Many singles adopt infants privately (independently), which gives them the flexibility to make connections with pregnant women who are considering adoption. (Note: independent adoptions are illegal in some U.S. states; check with a licensed adoption social worker in your state to see what the law says before pursuing this option).

Intercountry Adoption
Countries such as China, from which huge numbers of singles previously adopted, now prohibit singles from adopting. Many other countries, however, welcome single parents, whether they are divorced, widowed, or never married. Singles who adopt internationally say the process tends to move a little more quickly if they express an interest in adopting an older child.

U.S. Public (Foster Care) Adoption
Many singles adopt children of all ages from the U.S. public adoption system (foster care). There’s a huge need for people to adopt the 115,000 children living in foster care, who are legally free for adoption. Many of these children are classified as “special needs” due to their age, to their status as a member of a sibling group, or due to challenges stemming from abuse and/or neglect. These children long for a loving, stable parent. Could you be that parent?

Related post:

Single Parent Adoption on the Rise

Previous Adoption Q & A:

• Part 1: How do I choose an adoption agency?
• Part 2: Am I too old to adopt?
• Part 3: Can I adopt if I’m on a limited income?

Do you have a question about adoption you'd like me to address on the Exploring Adoption blog? Please e-mail me. 

Join me for more adoption Q & A in the next post. We’ll discuss: When should I tell my child he/she was adopted? 

I go into greater detail on many other questions in my book: The Adoption Decision: 15 Things You Want to Know Before Adopting.

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