The article highlights a recent research report released by the Evan B. Donaldson Institute (http://www.adoptioninstitute.org/index.php) finding that California, Texas, New York, and Massachusetts have the largest number of gay and lesbian family adoptions. It is important to note that California, Texas, and New York are also the most populous states, which may explain the larger number of adoptions in these states regardless of the sexual orientation of the adoptive parents. Florida is the fourth most populous state, but does not have a large number of gay or lesbian adoptions because of a 30-year ban on the practice that the courts overturned last year. The Evan B. Donaldson Institute report also found that 60% of the agencies they surveyed accept applications from gay male and lesbian families seeking to adopt.

IAC has also recently published detailed wait time statistics for 2006 through May 2011. This is discussed on page two. On page 10, we reveal a selection of comments pulled from our Facebook page that answer the question: “What is the significance of your child’s name? And/Or how did you decide upon a name for your child?” The answers from both adoptive parents and birthparents are touching and inspiring.

On page three, get to know Lyn Dawn, Manager of Agency Services. Learn about her love of animals, her feelings about family and what it’s like to be the IAC Halloween Decorating Champion 10 years in a row.

Turn to page four to read an endearing story of how Erin Garcia-Norris and her wife bonded with their son’s birthmother without being able to speak her native language. On page six is our feature article, by Jamie Clark, who has two daughters, both adopted through the IAC. She tells of her search to find her older daughter’s birthmother and how Facebook and other social media play an important role in their ongoing relationship.

On page nine, hear from resident expert Kathleen Silber as she offers great insight into how to teach your adopted child the significance of birth siblings. As always, the final pages contain up-to-date birthparent statistics and upcoming support group dates. DOWNLOAD & enjoy!

~ Ann Wrixon, Executive Director ~

• The average wait time from when a prospective adoptive family completes all of their pre-adoption paperwork and a child is placed in their home is 14 months.
• The median wait time is 11 months. (Half of families have a wait time less than 11 months, half wait more than 11 months)
• 70% of adoptive families have a placement within 18 months, 90% have a placement within 28 months.

See: http://www.adoptionhelp.org/adoption_statistics/

Furthermore, we provide details of the wait time for every family who adopted through the IAC over the last four and a half years. In addition, we provide a breakdown of wait times for Gay male families, Lesbian families, single parent families, and families with children.

See: http://www.adoptionhelp.org/adoption_statistics/graphs.html

Gay male families, Lesbian families and families with children wait an average of 14 months for an adoptive placement, which is the same as the wait time for all IAC families. Single parent families have an average wait of 15 months, but this statistic is based on just 21 single parent placements so may not be as representative as we would like.

More than 50% of families have a placement within 12 months. 70% have a placement within 18 months and 90% of families have a placement by 28 months.

Having placed about 1000 infants with LGBT families over the course of 29 years, the Independent Adoption Center has been involved in numerous studies and has a lot of information to offer on this topic. Wrixon urges all same-sex families hoping to adopt that even if they aren’t going to adopt through the IAC, they can feel welcome to call and have their questions answered.

*Ten Percent, a weekly interview series that focuses on lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender (LGBT) issues, is a half-hour show created and hosted by long-time San Francisco media professional David Perry.

For more reading on LGBT adoption and same sex parenting read the following posts:

1. LGBT Adoption Legal in Florida
2. Wait Times for Adoptive Placements in LGBT Families
3. Gay and Lesbian Parents Raise Well-Adjusted Children: IAC Families Participate in Groundbreaking Study
4. IAC Recognized by Human Rights Campaign for Best Practices with LGBT Families
5. Son of Lesbian Mothers Speaks Out Against Iowa’s Legislation to Ban Gay Marriage

First, let me clarify that I am referring to newborn adoptions. Unfortunately, there are many older children in the foster care system with few families willing or able to parent them. The Independent Adoption Center (IAC) only places infants for adoptions when voluntarily relinquished by their birthparents. As part of an open adoption process, birthparents chose the adoptive parents who will parent their child, and have contact with the family and child after placement.

Each year about 1,500 pregnant women call IAC who are considering adoption. The IAC provides non-directive counseling. We do not push adoption. About 225 or fifteen percent of these women will make an adoption plan. Most of the other women decide to parent. On the other side of the equation, about 6,000 potential adoptive parents contact the IAC each year, but only about four percent or 240 will decide that adoption through the IAC is the right choice for their family. As you can see the numbers of adoptive parents is only slightly larger than the number of placements each year.

Some of the potential adoptive parents that we talk to each year may decide to use another agency, do an international adoption or adopt from the foster care system. Others may become discouraged about adoption altogether or decide that adoption is not a good choice for their family. In any case, despite the huge interest in adoption it is clear that only a small percentage of families actually follow through on plans to adopt.

IAC welcomes any pregnant woman who is considering adoption or potential adoptive parent to email or call us. Although we understand that you may never place or adopt a child, we are more than happy to talk with you and help you make the best choice for your family.