National Adoption Month Celebrates Families Formed Through Adoption—and the Importance of Early Support for New Parents 

marketing intern on November 2, 2026

During National Adoption Month, Family Connects International (Family Connects) is celebrating families formed through adoption and highlighting the importance of early, compassionate support for adoptive parents welcoming a newborn into their home.

Each year in the United States, approximately 135,000 children are adopted. While adoption occurs across many ages and circumstances, tens of thousands of adoptions involve infants, including newborns placed through domestic adoption. For these families, the early weeks after placement are a time of bonding, transition, and adjustment—often paired with unique emotional, logistical, and caregiving needs.

“Adoptive parents experience the same joys and challenges of caring for a newborn—sometimes with added layers of transition,” said Jade Woodard, Executive Director of Family Connects. “Every family deserves early support that helps them build confidence, connection, and stability from the very beginning.”

For families, adoption is the beginning of an impact journey for everyone involved. It is important to remember that adopting can feel like a rapid transition into parenthood, and questions about infant care, feeding, sleep, and safety will arise. Similarly, navigating attachment and bonding, managing stress and fatigue, as well as coordinating health care and community resources, can be challenging.

Despite these factors, adoptive parents may not always receive the same early follow-up or in-home support offered to families after birth—creating gaps during a critical developmental window.

Thankfully, the Family Connects Model can help communities to deliver universal, evidence-based nurse visits to every family with a newborn—including adoptive parents. Registered nurses can help adoptive families:

Feel welcomed and supported, regardless of how a child joins their family.

With guidance on newborn care, safety, feeding, and sleep.

Support emotional well-being, and stress are screened and addressed early.

Connect to pediatric care, mental health services, and community resources.

“Early connection matters for every family,” said Kim Friedman, Chief Program Officer at Family Connects. “Supporting adoptive parents during the newborn period strengthens relationships and helps families thrive long-term.”

Research consistently shows that early parental support, trusted relationships, and access to community resources are protective factors for both caregivers and children. When families receive support early, they are more likely to feel confident in their parenting role, stay connected to health and community services, navigate challenges before they escalate, and build strong, nurturing relationships.

National Adoption Month is a time to recognize the many ways families are formed—and to reaffirm a shared responsibility to ensure every family has the support they need to succeed.

“When families receive support early—no matter how they are formed—children benefit,” said Woodard. “That belief is at the heart of our work.”