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Faith in Children: Child Welfare Services

According to the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, there are over 400,000 children living without permanent families in the American foster system. Across the globe, there are an estimated 132 million orphans that have lost one parent and almost 13 million orphans that have lost both parents and are either living on the street or in orphanages. Statistics for children in orphanages and foster care are concerning. On average, children raised in orphanages have an IQ of 20 points lower than their peers raised in the foster system. Almost 25% of foster youth aging out of the system are unable to obtain a high school diploma or GED. At best, the situation is alarming.

Faith-based organizations across the nation are stepping in to get these children placed in homes, both in foster care and permanent adoption. In 2014, a single Catholic adoption agency was responsible for 2,707 completed adoptions and 1,954 foster care adoptions. Another Christian non-profit with the ultimate goal of "bring[ing] families together and keep[ing] families together," provides Christian adoption, foster care, and pregnancy counseling to women and families at home and abroad, impacting over 101,000 children worldwide in 2015. Christian adoption services also provide family counseling and post-adoption support, as the adoption journey continues after a child is placed.