In the past several years there has been a significant change in the field of adoption, as more and more couples and singles over the age of 40 and 50 want to adopt. This increased number of slightly older individuals desiring to adopt has led to The Annual Adoption Conference dedicating several different workshops for those who are over 40 and 50 to present the options they have in adopting.

If one were to take a look around the playgrounds one would see more than a few seasoned mommies and daddies strolling along with their toddlers and pushing swings. There is a wide array of reasons for individuals to wait before starting families; whether men and women devoted their first adult years to traveling, building careers, exploring other interests, or deciding to go for round two for parenting, among many other reasons.

Those hoping to adopt later in life find that most state and many international adoption programs look favorably at older applicants due to financial and family stability, knowledge of their own strengths and weaknesses, and the experiences that come with years of living. However, that is not always the case. Some individuals have trouble with adopting later in life simply because of their age.

That is not to say that there aren’t some adoption programs that have some concerns with placing children with parents who are somewhat older because they feel that there are greater difficulties that arise in families where the parents, or parents, are significantly older than their children. Nonetheless, these prejudices are typically rare and there are plenty of other plenty of agencies that we know of that will help older individuals find a child to care for and love.