9 benefits of adopting a child in 2025

Key Takeaways:

• Many parents report high satisfaction after adopting a child.
• Adopting a child may help the child avoid several issues in adulthood.
• Adoption might be a more certain and less expensive way to become a parent than using assisted reproductive technology.
• Adoptive parents may have access to detailed information and financial assistance to help them to support their child and address their needs.

Adoption is a transformative and rewarding process that impacts not only the lives of adoptive children but also the families who welcome them. The process may address critical societal challenges while creating profound, lifelong connections. 

Expanding your family in any way is an awesome undertaking, but if you’re contemplating the benefits of adopting a child, this article may help. Here are nine perks to consider.

1. Adoption comes with high satisfaction rates for many adoptive parents

Many adults find adopting a child to be incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. In a National Survey of Adoptive Parents (NSAP), parents of 86 percent of adopted children reported that their relationships with their adopted children met or exceeded their expectations. Sure, raising any child—biological or adopted—comes with challenges, but the rewards far outweigh those hard times.

2. Adoption may be a solution to the large number of children waiting for a permanent home

Across the United States, countless children are waiting for adoptive families. According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, almost 109,000 children were waiting to be adopted as of September 30, 2022. And for older children who face the threat of aging out of the foster care system, waiting too long may come with dire consequences. Among the pros of adoption is that it may provide many children with the stability and love they need, offering a second chance at a bright future.

3. Adoption may improve a child’s health

Children who don’t find a permanent home before adulthood may face several dire outcomes, especially when it comes to health matters. In one study, a quarter of 19-year-olds who were formerly in foster care reported a higher occurrence of health problems compared with youths who weren’t in foster care. The study also found that a third of youth who were formerly in foster care had mental health disorders.

In addition to these concerns, many former foster care youth may lose healthcare coverage when they reach young adulthood. Connecting these children to families who can prioritize their medical and emotional well-being is one of the great benefits of adopting a child.

4. Adoption may provide a more stable and advanced educational path for a child

Many children who have been through the foster care system struggle with their education. There may be many factors at play here. For one, before entering the foster care system, a child may have missed significant time from school because of instability in their home life. Then, once they’re in foster care, children may move from family to family. This may cause them to miss school days during transitions to new foster homes and schools.

Missed school may be one reason why, according to research, children in foster care have scored as many as 20 percentile points lower than their peers on standardized testing. And in some cases, only 3 percent of children from foster care have gone on to receive postsecondary education. 

Intervening early in a child’s life as early as you can through adoption may help them avoid educational setbacks and reach their potential.

5. Adoption may be a cost-effective alternative to assisted reproductive technology

Many individuals who want children struggle with fertility issues, which have been on the rise. According to a 2024 National Health Statistics Report, the number of women with infertility increased from 6.7 percent in the years from 2011 to 2015 to 8.7 percent in the years from 2015 to 2019. 

For many families struggling with infertility as well as many same-sex couples seeking ways to welcome children into their families, alternative reproductive technology (ART), such as in vitro fertilization, might be a solution. However, ART treatments are costly. Depending on the method, an ART treatment may cost a couple between $15,000 and $70,000 or more to get to a successful conception. 

Adoption might offer a more affordable path to parenthood. Yes, some adoptions may cost as much as $60,000, but these are typically adoptions from a private agency. There are other, less expensive avenues to adoption. If you adopt a child from foster care, there may be little to no cost to complete the process. Many adoptive parents also have access to sliding-scale fees, grants or support programs to help them manage costs.

6. Adoption may be a more reliable option than assisted reproductive technology

While ART has brought joy to countless families, success rates can be unpredictable. In 2021, ART resulted in live births in less than 25 percent of cycles. 

Among the many advantages of adopting a child, it may eliminate this uncertainty. It may also allow families to welcome a child without facing the repeated emotional, physical and financial tolls associated with unsuccessful fertility treatments.

7. Adoption may help prevent homelessness when a child reaches adulthood

Without adoption, many children who age out of foster care face a significantly increased risk of homelessness. Statistics indicate that more than 20 percent of youth who have left foster care have experienced some degree of homelessness within a year of their emancipation. Adoption may offer a permanent, stable home and access to resources that reduce this risk, giving children a safe and supportive foundation.

8. Adoption may come with fewer surprises from the child

Another pro of adopting a child is the amount of information you may receive before you make a decision. Your state’s adoption laws might give you the right to receive detailed background information about the adoptive child and their biological families before you complete an adoption. However, adoptive parent’s access to information depends on where they live and whether they participate in a closed or open adoption. 

For example, Texas law mandates reports from the state that cover the following:

• Whether the child’s mother consumed alcohol while pregnant
• Whether the child was ever diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
• The child’s health history
• Results of any medical, psychiatric, psychological and dental examinations of the child
• The child’s health status at the time of their placement
• Information about the child’s relationships with their birth parents, their extended family, their siblings and others who had interactions with the child
• Whether the child has special needs and what they are
• The health history of the child’s biological parents
• The child’s past educational performance
• Whether there is any criminal history for the parties involved
• The physical characteristics of the child’s biological parents
• The ethnic and religious backgrounds of the child’s biological parents
• The child’s immunization records
• The education levels of the child’s biological parents
• Psychiatric, social and psychological evaluations of the child’s biological parents

Sometimes this information is more than what a parent might have when they bring a biological child into the world. Having this information may help an adoptive parent prepare for their child’s specific needs, reducing uncertainty and fostering informed decision-making.

9. Adoptive parents might receive financial assistance

The federal Title IV-E Adoption Assistance Program provides financial support to families adopting children with special needs. This assistance may include monthly subsidies and even one-time payments to offset adoption costs. These resources might make adoption more accessible for families while ensuring children receive the care they need.

How an attorney may help

Adoption changes lives—not just for the children who gain permanent homes but also for the families who experience the joy of raising and loving them. If you’ve ever considered adoption, you might find attorney guidance helpful. A lawyer may help you identify the options you have for completing an adoption. They may also help you access support programs and financial assistance that might make the adoption process more workable for you and your family.

Sources

https://aspe.hhs.gov/national-survey-adoptive-parents-nsap; https://www.childwelfare.gov/adoptionmonth/; https://youth.gov/youth-briefs/foster-care-youth-brief/challenges; https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr202.pdf; https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2024/03/13/fact-sheet-in-vitro-fertilization-ivf-use-across-united-states.html; https://cwig-prod-prod-drupal-s3fs-us-east-1.s3.amazonaws.com/public/documents/s_costs.pdf?VersionId=oQsHJ2Ek_3_oHSQehrGjh85aPV.rjrYg; https://www.cdc.gov/art/artdata/index.html; https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/FA/htm/FA.162.htm#162.007;