Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

Myths & Realities

Nearly 81.5 million Americans have considered adopting a child. If just one in 500 of these adults adopted, every waiting child in foster care would have a permanent family.

But foster care adoption is often misunderstood, preventing children from finding forever families. Discover some of the most common misconceptions, and read about the reality behind each.

Myth

Foster care adoption may cost less than private infant or international adoption, but it’s still expensive.

Reality

Foster care adoption normally costs little or nothing. Click here for more information on how much it costs to adopt.

Myth

A biological parent can come to take an adopted child back.

Reality

This is a fear for two-thirds of the people considering adoption. However, biological parents have no way to gain back custody of the child or children once their parental rights are terminated.

Myth

Children enter foster care because they committed a crime.

Reality

This belief is held by 45 percent of Americans, but actually, children enter U.S. foster care through no fault of their own. Usually, they are victims of neglect, abandonment, or abuse.

Myth

A single parent can’t provide a healthy environment for an adopted child.

Reality

A single parent can provide a loving, stable home. In fact, as the number of two-parent families declines, an increasing number of children live in single-parent homes. In 2006, this number was 28 percent.¹

Myth

Same-sex parents are not capable of providing a healthy environment for an adoptive child.

Reality

Practically every valid study to date concludes children of same-sex parents adjust well and grow up in positive environments compared with heterosexual families.²

Myth

No person over 55 can provide a healthy and loving environment for an adopted child.

Reality

This belief is held, erroneously, by 63% of Americans. In truth, almost one in four adopted children lives happily with an adoptive parent 55 years or older.

Unless stated otherwise, all statistics are from the National Foster Care Adoption Attitudes Survey, commissioned by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and conducted by Harris Interactive, November 2007. Read the study here.

¹Source: childtrendsdatabank.org
²Source: adoptioninstitute.org