Adoption Statistics

2005 - 2006

Placements

OA&FS completed 45 adoptions last fiscal year. The agency places 40 to 60 children each year.
Four (9%) were identified adoptions, when adoptive parents find birthparents through their own networks and bring them into the agency process.
Eleven (24%) were last-minute placements, when the birthmother contacts the agency for the first time from the hospital.
Adoptive parents and birthparents agreed to an average of three visits per year.

Child Demographics

98% were newborn at the time of placement.
69% were Caucasian.
43% experienced no prenatal drug or alcohol exposure, 23% "mild" exposure, 25% "moderate" exposure and 9% "severe" exposure.

Birthparents

Birthmothers received counseling for an average of 7 weeks prior to placement.
Birthmothers were 15 to 40 years old, with an average age of 25. Birthfathers were 18 to 50 years old, with an average age of 28.
The most common referral sources were Yellow Page ads, the Internet and medical social workers.

Adoptive Parents

Adoptive parents waited an average of 10.5 months before adopting. 50% of families waited 10.5 months or less, and 50% waited longer than 10.5 months. The longest wait was 36 months and the shortest wait less than one month. (Please note that these statistics are for families who have adopted and do not include families still waiting in the pool.)
Adoptive parents were 29 to 56 years old, with an average age of 40.
Adoptive parents incurred pregnancy-related expenses in 71% of cases, at an average of $1,300. The range was $87 to $5,100. There were zero pregnancy-related expenses in 29% of cases.

Same-Sex Couples

Thirteen same-sex couples adopted last year. That's 29% of the total placements.
Same-sex couples have made up approximately 40% of OA&FS' pool for the past four years.
Same-sex couples' average wait for the past three years was 17 months, compared to an all-client average of 10 months.
Fifty-five same-sex couples have adopted in the history of the agency.

Single People

One single person adopted last year.
Fifteen single people have adopted in the history of the agency. Their average wait time has been similar to the all-family average.

Disruptions

Four (8%) of mediations disrupted, meaning birthparents changed their minds after the baby was born but before consents were taken.

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