When people are considering adopting, they often only think of bringing an infant or a very young child into their home. This is a wonderful idea, but it is not only young children who are in need of parental care and guardianship. Also available and worthy of adoption are children who may be as old as 17. Sadly, these kids are often overlooked.
A campaign known as “Why Not Me?” is spearheaded by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. The campaign aims to promote the adoption of older children. The moniker refers to a question that many of these youngsters ask themselves as they wait in hope of joining someone’s family.
In Texas, there are over 6,000 neglected and abused youngsters who are looking to be adopted. Of those, around 60 percent are 6 years of age or older. As a child gets older, the time it takes for them to get adopted tends to increase.
It may be that certain misconceptions regarding older children are making their adoption less desirable. For example, you might think that once a child reaches a certain age, he or she will no longer need the support and guidance of an adoptive parent. This is not necessarily true as many children can use the kind of support system that adoption offers, even well into their teenage years.
Some people may also harbor the belief that children who are older are too difficult to manage. The fact is that adopting an older child will have its challenges, but what is important is the willingness to give the child the care they need.
Adoption is a very serious step to take. Bringing someone new into your family will take commitment and you need to be fully aware of all the intricacies of accepting such a responsibility. A Texas adoption attorney may be your best source for the information you need. The attorney could also prove useful in helping you carry out an adoption if you decide that such a move is right for you.
