Domestic Adoption in the US
In the United States, approximately 19,000 children are adopted each year through Domestic Infant Adoption. Approximately 99% of those children are placed via private adoption agencies such as Beacon House Adoption Services.
In a private adoption parental rights are relinquished directly from the birthparents to the adoptive parents. You typically do not have parents contacting an adoption agency to place toddler or older children. Most babies placed for adoption are just a few days old at the time of placement.
Most birthmothers are single women over the age of 18. In many cases birth mothers choose adoption because they do not believe that they are equipped or ready to parent a child. A small percentage choose adoption because they plan on continuing their education.
The average adoptive family is a married couple, ages 30-45. Approximately 21% of adoptions are trans-racial adoptions. Approximately half of adopted children are an only child. Adopted children are more likely than non-adopted peers to live in “safe neighborhoods, and are in better physical condition.”