On October 30, President Donald Trump recognized November as National Adoption Month, promoting adoption as an alternative to abortion.
“During National Adoption Month, we recognize birth families who make the difficult decision to place their children up for adoption, commend foster parents who care for children from different backgrounds, and celebrate adoptive parents who open their families to those children in need.”
He added, “My administration believes that every human life has inherent value, and encourages adoption as an alternative to abortion. All children, born and unborn, deserve a chance to have a better, more prosperous future.”
The president said his administration is working to end the opioid crisis that has caused many children to go into foster care. They are also working to increase funding and oversight of the foster care system.
READ: Trump signs executive order to improve foster care system
An executive order signed in June by Trump encourages partnerships between private and public organizations to help keep families together — which is the ultimate goal of foster care. When reunification is not possible, these organizations must work towards finding stable adoptive homes for children. That executive order also expanded resources for trauma training to help children who have been through emotional trauma and for guardianship and kinship care for children who age out of the foster care system without finding an adoptive family or being reunited with their birth family.
According to the US Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting Sytems, foster care adoption numbers were at a record high in 2018 with 63,000 adoptions, up nearly a quarter from fiscal 2014. The number of children in foster care also decreased slightly in 2018 for the first time since 2012. In 2019, more than 86,694 children were removed from their homes in the US due to parental drug abuse, and 153,258 were removed due to neglect.
Trump urged women facing unplanned pregnancies to consider adoption as a loving alternative to abortion if they felt they could not parent their children themselves. “Every year, countless families — including many who cannot have children of their own — cherish the priceless gift of an adopted child,” said Trump. “I commend the selfless men and women who preserve the majesty of God’s creation by providing children with a chance at a better life.”
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