More than 113,000 children in foster care across the U.S. are eligible for adoption, including about 4,000 in Maryland, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Neglect is the leading reason for these children entering foster care, impacting more than half of those in the system.
Among these children, older youth face the steepest challenges in finding permanent homes. Saara McEachnie, director of domestic adoption programs at the Barker Adoption Foundation, leads Project Wait No Longer, a program that seeks adoptive families for older children, sibling groups, and those with special needs.
“Families that are seeking to adopt are most often feeling most comfortable, and most equipped or prepared, to be able to adopt a younger child,” McEachnie explained. “So, that leaves fewer options for our older kiddos that are very much in need of family, and we have few families that are stepping forward.”
Addressing Attachment Issues
McEachnie noted that children in foster care often struggle with attachment and bonding due to the trauma of being separated from their birth families and placed with unfamiliar people. This makes it critical to provide education and resources to prospective adoptive families, particularly those considering older children.
She emphasized that adoptive parents can create “attachment-friendly” homes by understanding the difficulties children face as a result of their complex trauma. Such homes should foster empathy, flexibility, and a willingness to seek resources and build supportive networks.
“Building an attachment-friendly home first has to come from a place of understanding, empathy, flexibility,” said McEachnie. “Willingness to seek and access resources, willingness to continue to understand the population.”
McEachnie also encouraged families to connect with other adoptive parents to build a supportive community for both the children and their caregivers.
Advocating for Older Foster Youth
National Adoption Day, launched in 1999 by organizations like the Children’s Action Network and the Alliance for Children’s Rights, highlights the importance of finding homes for children in foster care. Programs like Project Wait No Longer are working to raise awareness about the unique needs of older foster youth and to encourage more families to consider adopting them.
By equipping families with tools and fostering community support, advocates hope to close the gap in opportunities for older children in foster care and ensure every child has a permanent, loving home.
