Adoptions
Date updated: 03/20/2012
Chart Directory:
Adoption is a legal proceeding that creates a parent-child relationship and entitles the adoptive child to all privileges belonging to a natural child of the adoptive parents (including the right to inherit). The procedure can be lengthy, as adoptive parents must be evaluated to determine their suitability as parents.
Filing for a 'petition of adoption' is one of the final steps in the process; approval of the petition transfers guardianship to the adoptive parents. The term disruption is used to describe an adoption which fails before legalization, resulting in the child returning to foster care and/or to another set of adoptive parent(s). Most adoptions do not disrupt before legalization and between 75% and 90% are successfully finalized. Attempted adoptions involving older children, children with histories of previous placements, or children with longer stays in the foster care system are more likely to disrupt.
The term dissolution is used to describe an adoption that fails after legalization, resulting in the child returning to foster care and/or another set of adoptive parent(s). Most legalized adoptions do not dissolve with between 90% and 99% remaining intact after legalization.
[Information taken from U.S. Department of Health & Human Services]
What this chart shows: Adoption Filings in Larimer County, FYE 2002 - FYE 2011
*Based on the fiscal year (July 1st - June 30th)
Data Source: Colorado Judicial Branch Annual Statistical Reports
What the above data tell us:
Overall, adoption filings in Larimer County have decreased 32% in the last decade. Between FYE2007 and FYE2008, adoption filings dropped approximately 21% which could be attributable to the changing attitudes in China and Russia towards inter-country adoptions. In May 2007, China placed several restrictions on who could adopt in China, and according to the U.S. State Department, there was a 39.5% drop in the number of immigrant visas issued to Chinese orphans between 2007 and 2008.In May 2008, adoption of Guatemalan babies was halted. Lax regulations meant American adoptive parents waited months instead of years for adoptive babies. However, this created charges that babies were being kidnapped from unwilling mothers and sold for a profit. It is not clear at this point when or if adoptions from Guatemala will resume.
What this chart shows: United States International Adoptions, FYE 2002 - FYE 2011
*Based on the federal fiscal year (October 1st - September 30th)
Data Source: United States Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs
What the above data tell us:
International adoptions increased from FYE 2002 to FYE 2004, but have dropped steadily since then. The recent decline in international adoptions is most likely attributable to stricter adoption policies by China and Russia, the two biggest sources for United States adoptions for nearly a decade. As the number of adoptions from Russia and China decreased, Guatemala became a favorite for American adoptive parents. In May 2008, Guatemalan adoptions were suspended after the discovery that some babies were being kidnapped and sold and have not yet resumed.What this chart shows: Top 5 Countries for United States Adoptions, FYE 2011
*Based on the federal fiscal year (October 1st - September 30th)
Data Source: United States Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs
What the above data tell us:
In nine of the last ten years, China provided the largest number of babies for American international adoptions. In May 2007, China placed several restrictions on adoptive parents, resulting in a steady decline in the number of children adopted from China. Over the last 10 years, the highest number of Chinese babies adopted in the United States took place in 2005 (7,903) and has declined 67% since then.Of the top 5 countries from which Americans adopted the most children in 2011, only Ukraine allowed more adoptions from the previous year. Adoptions from Russia and South Korea are declining because both countries are making efforts to increase domestic adoptions whenever possible.
The states with the highest number of foreign-born adoptions are California, Texas, New York, Illinois and Florida.
Additional Information:
Related Information on COMPASS-
- Child Abuse
- Children in Families - Single and Two Parents
- Children in Out-of-Home Placement
- Education - Early Childhood
- Education - K-12
- Population by Age
Other Resources-
- Child Welfare Information Gateway: a comprehensive site linking to national statistics, state-by-state legal resources, scholarly articles, and more.
- Colorado State Foster Parent Association: the Colorado Foster Parent Association is committed to supporting foster care of children by providing education, advocacy, and resources for Colorado foster parents.
- Federal Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) of 1997 [pdf]: this act set permanency standards for children in state care. A main component of ASFA's goals is to reduce the amount of time children spend in an out-of-home, or a non-permanent, situation. The law states that children who are in continual care of a state for 19 months must have parental rights terminated and be placed for adoption.
- Larimer County Human Services - Children, Youth, and Family Services: information on Child Protection, foster care, special needs adoption, and other services.
- Lutheran Family Services of Colorado: agency providing adoption, foster care, and family education and therapy services.
- National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Data Brief: Who Adopts? Characteristics of Women and Men Who Have Adopted Children [pdf] (January 2009)
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services [pdf]: information on the Hague Adoption Convention, effective April 1, 2008.
- U.S. Department of State: provides information on intercountry adoption.
- U.S. Department of State: FY2011 Annual Report on Intercountry Adoption (November 2011) [pdf]
Standards or Targets: N/A
Data Tables:
Adoption Filings
|
Year* |
Colorado Number of Filings |
Larimer County Number of Filings |
|
FYE 2002 |
3,035 |
236 |
|
FYE 2003 |
2,956 |
224 |
|
FYE 2004 |
2,896 |
200 |
|
FYE 2005 |
2,905 |
206 |
|
FYE 2006 |
2,521 |
209 |
|
FYE 2007 |
2,665 |
228 |
|
FYE 2008 |
2,873 |
181 |
|
FYE 2009 |
2,237 |
186 |
|
FYE 2010 |
2,589 |
173 |
|
FYE2011 |
2,669 |
161 |
*Fiscal Year July 1 through June 30
International Adoptions to the United States
|
Year* |
Number of Adoptions |
|
FYE 2002 |
21,467 |
|
FYE 2003 |
21,654 |
|
FYE 2004 |
22,991 |
|
FYE 2005 |
22,734 |
|
FYE 2006 |
20,680 |
|
FYE 2007 |
19,608 |
|
FYE 2008 |
17,456 |
|
FYE 2009 |
12,744 |
|
FYE 2010 |
11,058 |
|
FYE2011 |
9,319 |
*Federal Fiscal Year October 1 through September 30
Top 5 Countries for United States Adoptions, FYE 2011*
|
Country |
Number of Adoptions |
|
China |
2,587 |
|
Ethopia |
1,732 |
|
Russia |
962 |
|
South Korea |
736 |
|
Ukraine |
640 |
*Federal Fiscal Year October 1 through September 30