What is National Adoption Month? When is it?

November is National Adoption Month, a time set aside to raise awareness about the urgent need for adoptive families for children in foster care.

National Adoption Month dates back to 1976 when Massachusetts Governor Mike Dukakis announced the first Adoption Week. Governor Dukakis' idea grew in popularity and quickly spread nationwide. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Adoption Week, and in 1995, under President Bill Clinton, the week was expanded to the entire month of November.

Every November, the Children's Bureau leads this initiative by way of a collaborative partnership between Child Welfare Information Gateway and AdoptUSKids that supports activities that promote the adoption of children from foster care into permanent, loving families.

For additional information, view the National Adoption Month webpage .