| To know the bigger picture regarding what the | | | | mother did not graduate high school, reveal studies. |
| nature and process of adoption is all about, adoption | | | | Research claims that the latter come families less |
| statistics are more than just numbers for people | | | | supportive of giving the child up for adoption which |
| looking to adopt and those hoping to study the | | | | the former are lucky to have, but females from |
| patterns and history of this vital way to building a | | | | lower SES and academic backgrounds may equally be |
| family and therefore the nation, in turn. Many | | | | decisive about giving their children for adoption felt |
| Americans have been touched by this process of | | | | one California research. |
| adoption and just a decade ago, in 1997, Evan B. | | | | Some of these adoption statistics and opinions may |
| Donaldson Adoption Institute conducted a survey to | | | | be somewhat outdated but as with other issues, the |
| report over 60 per cent of US families had | | | | commercials have not been tampered with or |
| experienced adoption in some form or the other. In | | | | changed much, giving us reasonable information that |
| some instances, the participant was a product of an | | | | is accurate and revealing about the estimated cost of |
| adoption, in others, one or more family members or a | | | | adoption: the adoption agency hired to find a child is |
| friend had been adopted or had placed a child for the | | | | the chief cost incurred by prospective parents. Hiring |
| same process. Thus, we find that this interesting | | | | a local agency for a domestic adoption (public |
| study reveals a major portion of American families | | | | agency) may cost around $2500 or even less than |
| have been affected in some way by adoption. | | | | that to nominal amounts, especially the non-profit |
| The other aspect of adoption relates to the female | | | | ones, whereas if handed over to a private agency, |
| demographics: women who place their unborn kids up | | | | the cost of adoption can range from $4000 to |
| for adoption. This is known as prenatal adoption and | | | | $30,000 because these are not subsidized by the |
| usually such women tend to have an inverse | | | | state and also offer support services later. |
| relationship with their socioeconomic status (SES) and | | | | However, the important thing to remember when |
| academic level; sometimes, the decision is influenced | | | | discussing adoption statistics is that these numbers |
| by that of the birth mother and at others, by those | | | | are only a small element of the adoption procedure |
| within her family who are linked to these factors. E.g. | | | | and to be used merely to gain an insight into the past |
| a woman with a mother having finished at least a | | | | of adoptive processes and trends; they are not |
| year college is statistically 3 times more likely to place | | | | meant to be yardstick for future figures - go by |
| a child for adoption than one a woman whose | | | | insight. |