No child under three years of age should be placed in institutional care without a parent or primary caregiver. This is based on results from 32 European countries, including nine in-depth country studies, which considered the “risk of harm in terms of attachment disorder, developmental delay and neural atrophy in the developing brain.” (Source: Mapping the Number and Characteristics of Children Under Three in Institutions Across Europe at Risk of Harm: Executive Summary)

15,000 orphans aging out of state-run institutions every year, 10% committed suicide, 5,000 were unemployed, 6,000 were homeless and 3,000 were in prison within three years.

Children raised in orphanages have an IQ 20 points lower than their peers in foster care, according to a meta-analysis of 75 studies (more than 3,800 children in 19 countries). This shows the need for children to be raised in families, not in institutions. (Source: IQ of Children Growing Up in Children’s Homes A Meta-Analysis on IQ Delays in Orphanages)

Each year, over 27,000 youth “age out” of foster care without the emotional and financial support necessary to succeed. This number has steadily risen over the past decade. Nearly 40% had been homeless or couch surfed, nearly 60% of young men had been convicted of a crime, and only 48% were employed. 75% of women and 33% of men receive government benefits to meet basic needs. 50% of all youth who aged out were involved in substance use and 17% of the females were pregnant. (Source: Fostering Connections)

Nearly 25% of youth aging out did not have a high school diploma or GED, and a mere 6% had finished a two- or four-year degree after aging out of foster care. One study shows 70% of all youth in foster care have the desire to attend college. (Source: Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth)

As of 2011, nearly 60,000 children in foster care in the U.S. are placed in institutions or group homes, not in traditional foster homes. (Source: AFCARS Report, No. 19)

States spent a mere 1.2-1.3% of available federal funds on parent recruitment and training services even though 22% of children in foster care had adoption as their goal. (Source: Adoption Advocate No. 6: Parent Recruitment and Training: A Crucial, Neglected Child)

Over three years is the average length of time a child waits to be adopted in foster care. Roughly 55% of these children have had three or more placements. An earlier study found that 33% of children had changed elementary schools five or more times, losing relationships and falling behind educationally. (Source: AFCARS Report, No. 19)

The Promise Love Foundation - Our mission is to assist families financially with the cost of adoption through avenues of private domestic adoption and the foster care system. We also provide expertise and consulting to families who do not yet know what child advocacy journey they should pursue. https://www.promiselovefoundation.org/

Family First - All Pro Dad / iMom -is a non-profit organization on a mission to provide parenting, marriage, and relational truth that helps people love their family well and gives them greater hope for the future... https://www.familyfirst.net/

A Door of Hope -Our mission is to provide hope for kids in crisis by providing loving, Christian foster homes in Tampa Bay. https://adoorofhope.com/

Florida 1.27 is a movement of churches and individuals taking action together to radically change the foundation of foster care and adoption in Florida. https://florida127.org/

I Matter Too® is a nationally growing non-profit organization that mentors the most severely orphaned, abused, and neglected children, through the love of Jesus Christ. http://imattertoo.com/

Heart Gallery of Tampa - Every child deserves love. So, we created the place to find forever families for Tampa’s foster children. These kids are just like any other kids, only they’ve experienced abuse, abandonment, and neglect. They find themselves in foster care through no fault of their own. What they need most is a family. The Heart Gallery gives them a face, a voice, and a place to shine. Give your heart… adopt. https://heartgallerytampa.org/

The State of Florida Guardian ad Litem Program is a network of professional staff and community advocates, partnering to provide a strong voice in court and positive systemic change on behalf of Florida’s abused and neglected children. There are 21 local Guardian ad Litem programs in 20 judicial circuits in Florida. Locate your local program office by selecting your county on the map or from the list below. https://guardianadlitem.org/

Florida A Kid’s Place, located on five acres in Brandon, has five homes on an expansive tree-lined campus that provide a safe, home-like environment in a neighborhood setting. https://akidsplacetb.org/

Finally, Home is a national non-profit 501(c)3, has been training a

nd encouraging foster, kinship, and adoptive families since 2008. Finally, Home was created to equip and encourage families as they provide a safe and loving home where wounded children can heal. https://finallyhome.net/

Everyday Blessings, Inc. -Our mission is to provide high-quality care for sibling groups through a live-in caregiver model. We will partner with community agencies and the children’s families to transition each child into a safe, stable, and permanent home. This work will be done while treating each child with the love, dignity, and respect that they deserve. http://www.everydayblessingsinc.org/

Miracles Outreach a non-profit, has provided foster care and other services to more than 3000 youth and families in Florida since 2000. We focus on children who are homeless, have been abused, or were victims of Human Trafficking between the ages of twelve and seventeen. We provide a caring, nurturing, and safe home to children that come to us from child welfare agencies throughout Florida and often arrive severely troubled because of the situations that caused them to enter foster care. We also help families in the Tampa Bay Area become stronger through our programs like financial literacy, parental support classes, educational development, and more. http://miraclesoutreach.org/

Children’s Home Network is dedicated to improving lives and changing life stories. We unlock the potential of at-risk children and families by providing compassionate and effective services that create opportunities for success. https://www.childrenshomenetwork.org/

https://www.childrensboard.org/ The Children’s Board invests in partnerships and quality programs to support the success of all children and families in Hillsborough County.

Community-Based Care of Central Florida envisions a world in which every child has a safe, loving, and nurturing home – free from abuse, neglect, and abandonment. Our services include Fostering, Adoption, and Diversion. As the region’s leading child welfare organization, we serve more than 3,000 kids each day. Our services include foster care, adoption, mentoring, and youth transitional services – along with resources that strengthen and empower families. http://www.cbccfl.org/

Connecting You To Serve ‘The Least of These’ Locally And Globally https://fornomore.org/

https://www.myflfamilies.com/service-programs/foster-care/how-do-I.shtml

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XHN4K8M/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Fiona? Forever? Chapter book (I read it and cried... Erinn does an amazing job of drawing you into Fiona’s emotional rollercoaster. (It ends happily :-)) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XHN4K8M/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

https://adoptionlyyours.com/ adoption cards

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Books-Childrens-Adoption/zgbs/books/3046

https://www.amazon.com/Billy-Says-therapeutic-storybooks-fostering/dp/1849056676

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS863US863&sxsrf=ALeKk02i3ZpupF8Ni51VdV7b4FlhtLC3Qg:1590278754532&q=i+wished+for+you:+an+adoption+story&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjuuoeCmsvpAhUkVt8KHf9XCZkQ1QIoAnoECAsQAw&biw=1229&bih=578

Adoption Keepsake Journal Idea

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Story-Books-Adopted-Children/dp/1843109530