There are thousands of children waiting for homes all over the world. As Americans, often the children that most quickly pull at our hearts are the children here in the United States who don’t have a family to call their own. In an effort to help spread the word about these children, there are photolistings set up that strive to put a face and a name to all of these children who wait.
One of the largest photolistings for state adoptions is AdoptUSKids.org. This website provides a way to search all over the country for a child to join your family. Children of all ages, races and experiences are featured on the website and just looking at their faces and profiles often makes you want to take action.
Most of the children featured on this and other state photolistings are considered special needs. Remember, though, that “special needs” can be a very broad category. It can mean simply that the child is a little older or of a minority race. However, these children may also have a disability or health issue, so it is important to pay attention to these and make sure that these are issues that you can handle.
As hard as it is, try not to get your heart set on one specific child that you find on the photolisting. Sometimes the website is not updated quickly enough and the child may already have been placed. Also, it is possible that the child has special needs or issues that aren’t mentioned and require a specific parenting skills. After learning more about the child you may discover that your family is not a good fit for the child. If you do decide to inquire about a specific child, try to keep an open mind. Try to remember that the goal is to find the right home for that child and also the right child for your family.
AdoptUSKids is a great place to get started if you are interested in state adoption. However, it is not the only option. There are many children waiting for families who are never featured in the photolisting. The best way to find the right child for you is to start by contacting your local Human and Family Services department and begin the steps towards adoption. Who knows, one of those little faces staring back at you from the photolisting might soon be welcomed into your family.