You can always adopt…unless you’re single.

Register for this great LinkedIn Live event: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7419042418148257792/?viewAsMember=true

“You can always adopt,” is a common phrase women who can’t have children often hear from well-meaning friends and family.

That is… unless you’re single.

Single adoptive parents represent only 6.8% of private domestic (infant) adoptions and 12.8% of intercountry adoptions.

Meanwhile, there were an estimated 7.3 million “mother-only” households in the U.S. in 2023.

That contrast is staggering.

Because it raises a hard question: why is solo parenting widely accepted when a woman gives birth, but often treated as a risk when she wants to adopt?

Single women who want to adopt face real barriers, including:

• 𝗕𝗶𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴: many agencies and expectant parents prefer two-parent households

• 𝗔 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 “𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁”: backup childcare, emergency plans, financial cushions — often held to a higher standard than couples

• 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗷𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: A 2022 Dave Thomas Foundation study found only 48% of people surveyed said a single parent can provide a healthy environment for an adopted child.

For hopeful mothers who deeply want a child to nurture and love, this can feel like another dead end.

That’s why I’m so excited to have Ayo Haynes joining our panel for “𝗨𝗻𝘄𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱” 𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟲. The link is now available to register.

Ayo successfully adopted her daughter as a single mother by choice—now she shares what she learned through open adoption success coaching and a free course.

I’ve said it many times: families come in all shapes and sizes. And they’re all beautiful.

And I celebrate Ayo and every single woman who has fulfilled her dream of motherhood through adoption.

I hope you'll join us for this great discussion.