Stresses on the state’s adoption and foster care systems, along with the private adoption agencies, may be the unintended consequences of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, but consequences nonetheless. 

The expected influx of infants and children into a system that is already under immense pressure could prove to be overwhelming and even unmanageable. 

Even before the SCOTUS decision, children from across the state of Georgia have been in need of adoptive homes. 

The state Division of Family and Children Services describes adoption, unlike foster care, as a permanent “social and legal process that creates a new family, giving adopted children the same rights and benefits as those who are born into a family. Adoption requires an unconditional commitment by parents to meet the physical, emotional, medical, psychological and social needs of their child.”

Most of the existing children in need of adoption are in the state’s foster care, or temporary family, program.

Most of the children in foster care have endured some form of abuse or neglect and because of that some may have medical, emotional and/or behavioral needs, according to the department.

It remains to be seen how the overturning of Roe v. Wade will have lasting impacts on the system with more and more children being born into less than desirable circumstances. 

“Children in foster care come from all racial and ethnic groups, most are school aged and have brothers or sisters they need to be placed with,” according to a past DFCS statement. “There are also a high number of teenagers. Most of the children needing adoptive homes are members of sibling groups needing to be placed together, are older, have a diagnosed physical, mental or emotional disability.”

There are already literally hundreds of children across the state in need of a temporary or permanent home.

DFCS has said most of the children come from difficult situations into the foster care system.

The department explained in many cases, when a child is available for adoption, parents have voluntarily surrendered parental rights, but in other cases parental rights were terminated by the court system due to abuse, neglect or abandonment.

Many of the children, as a result, have special needs.

Adoption is a long process and requires a lot of pre-qualifying.

People interested can call 1-877-210-KIDS (5437) for additional information.

More information on children needing an adoptive family can be found at itsmyturnnow.dhs.ga.gov.

Adoption is not for everyone, but the needs exist for those who want to explore giving a child a home.