During my time in the Senate, I’ve had the opportunity to speak with many young people who have spent time in foster care. Some eventually reunited with their biological families. Others were adopted, and some aged out of the foster care system with no connection to family. Despite differences in their circumstances, most foster youth agree all children need and deserve a safe, loving, and permanent home. Foster care isn’t supposed to be the destination; it’s supposed to be a temporary way to ensure a child’s safety while permanent arrangements can be made. Too often, young people languish in the foster care system for months, sometimes years, on end.

November is National Adoption Month. It’s important to recognize and celebrate adoption as a pathway to a safe, loving, and permanent place to call home for youth in foster care. In 2017, 24 percent of children who left foster care were adopted. Those who make the decision to open their hearts and homes to children in need should be commended. However, adoption doesn’t always mean permanency. Sometimes adoptions are disrupted before they are legally finalized or dissolved after being finalized, and children are placed back in foster care.