Adoption in the United States Page: 1
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ADOPTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES
I. FOREWORD
Adoptions in the United States continue to increase every year,
although the rate has decreased in recent years. There were eight thou-
sand more adoptions in 1968 than there were in 1967, but only five thou-
sand additional in 1969. Despite this diminishing rate -of increase,
child welfare workers are still optimistic of continuing increases. in
adoptions because of the advanced techniques and new ideas which are
taking place in the field. While agencies still continue to seek the
best-suited parents for a child, there is much less emphasis on the tra-
ditional "Perfect match" adoption philosophy which is illustrated by
the matching of children and parents according to physical characteris-
tics.
Immediate adoption after birth continues to dominate the adoption
scene. Statistics show that the median age of an adopted child is less
than two months old. Most social workers feel that the earlier age at
placement, the better the chances are for successful adjustment by both
the child and the adoptive parents. "Adoptive parents seek to simulate
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the experiences of biological parents as closely as possible." The
advantage to the child is that he will only have to adjust to one environ-
ment, rather than to an institution, or a foster home, and then an
adoptive home.
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Alfred Kadushin, Adopting Older Children (New York: Columbia University
Press, 1970) p. 3.
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Yavis, Jean. Adoption in the United States, report, August 1, 1972; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc992880/m1/3/?rotate=90: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.