Every Child Deserves a Home

If you have a few minutes, cut and paste the link to read the full article that was just released from The Adoption Council of Canada.

Children who have a government as their parent, no matter how well-intentioned or necessary that arrangement is, are often damaged by it. The evidence of this harm is extensive and consistent. It’s time we made it a priority in Canada to find permanent homes for children and youth in the care of child welfare agencies.

This November marks the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is ratified by 193 countries, including Canada. Signatories of the Convention recognize that “the child, for the full and harmonious development of his or her personality,should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding.” Yet each year in Canada, of the estimated 30 000 to 40 000 children in care who are legally available for adoption, only 2300 are adopted on average. Most children “age out” of the system without permanent families.

The cost is high. Youth in care are 17 times more likely to be hospitalized for mental health issues than the general public,according to Kids, Care and Crime, a report published in February 2009 by British Columbia’s representative of children
and youth and the provincial health officer. By 21 years of age, 41% of children and youth in care have been in contact with the justice system, compared to only 6.6% of the general population in the same age group. Of those in contact with the justice system, 72% have been reported, while in school, to have had serious mental illness, behavioural problems or fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

This is not the case for most children who are adopted from care. Over time and with effective post-adoption support,most adoptees become attached to their new families
and their problems diminish. Their quality of life improves, along with their sense of self.

www.adoption.ca/Canadian%20Medical%20Journal%20Editorial%20Nov%202009.pdf