The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is celebrating Adoption Awareness Month this November and highlighting the children still waiting for permanent, loving families. Governor Jeff Landry has proclaimed November 2026 Adoption Awareness Month, recognizing the families whose lives have been changed through adoption and the importance of helping more children find forever homes.
From October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, Louisiana saw:
- 644 children adopted from foster care.
- 503 families welcome children through adoption.
- 57 teenagers, ages 13–18, find permanent families.
- More than 245 children remain available for adoption in Louisiana.
Louisiana has had a strong year for adoptions, but there is still work to do. Many children across the state are still waiting for a permanent home.
“Every child deserves the opportunity to grow up in a safe, permanent family,” said DCFS Secretary Rebecca Harris. “We are grateful to the families who have stepped forward and made that commitment. But there are still children waiting, including teenagers who deserve the same opportunity to have a family standing beside them. We need more Louisiana families to consider adoption and help make that possible.”
The department’s work is part of A Home for Every Child, a national initiative designed to increase the availability of foster homes, strengthen family-based care and help ensure children have the opportunity to grow up in a family. Through A Home for Every Child, Louisiana is working toward a one-to-one ratio of foster homes to children in care, so there is a family-based home available for every child who needs one. This includes recruiting and supporting more kinship and foster families, while helping children remain connected to their schools, siblings and communities whenever possible.
Families interested in adoption can learn more through the DCFS Adoption Navigator, which offers online informational meetings and opportunities to learn about the adoption process and children waiting for families. Louisiana residents can also make a difference by supporting adoptive families and sharing information about the need for more permanent homes.
Every child deserves a family. Help us make sure no child has to wait for one. Learn more about adoption in Louisiana at dcfs.louisiana.gov/child-welfare/adoption or visit the DCFS Adoption Navigator.