6000 Ohio Children Are Waiting

6,000, where did that number come from? A few years ago, NOAS took a look at our marketing materials and thought about how to make it clear that our mission is to place children who are in foster care waiting for adoptive families. We were well aware that when folks hear the word "adoption", infant adoption is the first image that comes to mind. NOAS serves older children in the custody of public agencies. Two-thirds of the waiting children are over 12 years old.

We were aware that most people have no idea how many children in foster care need an adoptive family. On December 31, 2005 there were 115,000 in the United States waiting to be adopted. In Ohio on January 1, 2006, there were 4,007 children in the permanent custody of public child welfare agencies and another 2,542 in a "permanent planned living arrangement" (PPLA). Experience tells us that some of the children and teens in PPLA could be adopted if a family came forward even though adoption is not their current plan. Hence, the round number of 6,000.

We have used the tagline "6,000 Ohio Children Are Waiting" for a few years now. After the number of adoptions peaked about five years ago, since then the number of adoptions has gone down as has the number of children entering care. 6,000 remains a good estimate and reminder of the number of children in Ohio who lack a permanent family, committed to them for life!