Consider Foster Care
Children enter foster care when concerns about their safety or well-being require them to temporarily live outside their home. Children may spend an average of approximately 20 months in care while their family works toward a safe and permanent plan.
Foster care is intended to be temporary, with the goal of helping children safely return home whenever possible. Foster parents have the important responsibility of providing a safe, loving home during this season while supporting a child’s connection to their family of origin. They also have the opportunity to build supportive bridges with biological families, offering encouragement and partnership as parents work toward reunification—the primary goal of foster care.
Nationally, in 2024, 52% of children leaving foster care were reunified with their parents, while 26% were adopted, 10% entered guardianship, and 8% transitioned to adulthood through emancipation. These outcomes reflect the many different paths to permanency for children and families. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau, Child Welfare Outcomes 2024)
In Virginia, in 2023, 49% of children leaving foster care were reunified with their parents, 27% were adopted, and 13% entered guardianship. When reunification is not possible, adoption, guardianship, or another permanent arrangement may provide a child with lasting connection and stability. In 2025, 19.8% of Virginia youth exiting foster care aged out of the system, transitioning to adulthood without reunification, adoption, or guardianship. (Virginia Child Welfare Outcomes, 2023; Virginia Department of Social Services, 2026 Annual Progress and Services Report)
For children who cannot safely return to their families, adoption can provide another path to permanency. More than 700 children and teens in Virginia’s foster care system are currently waiting for an adoptive family. Many are school-aged, and some are part of sibling groups. These children need families who are prepared to offer lasting connection, stability, and belonging.
Helpful Resources for you:
Consider Adoption
God’s design for children is to grow up in permanent, loving families. With 150 million orphans worldwide and 125,000 children available for adoption the US foster care system, the need is great! Adoption is a beautiful and imperative response to this need.
Your options include: international adoption, domestic adoption, and adoption from foster care.
Each of these options have their strengths and weaknesses. There are many agencies both from a Christian worldview and a secular world view. There's no "one right way." You simply must prayerfully do your research and see which option God leads you to.
God is able to do anything in His timing, however, we encourage people to keep these things in mind:
Plan on at least 18 months to 3 years for the entire adoption process (longer if you are only open to a baby)
It can be expensive, but there are resources out there to help ease the load.
Please feel free to email us to chat personally.
Helpful Resources for you:
Considering foster care or adoption and need some guidance?
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Reach out at info@projectbelongva.org and we’ll find a time to talk through any questions or concerns you might have.