The "Other Mothers" Contest
Facts and Statistics about "Other Mothers"
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Children at Risk
Approximately 1.3 million children in the United States live with neither parent and have no living grandparents.
Over 3 million reports of child abuse are made every year in the United States, involving nearly 6 million children.
Other Mothers in America
Grandparents raising grandchildren
- One in 10 children in the United States live with a Grandparent. 4.9 million children are raised by at least one Grandparent. (AARP, 2010)
- 20% of these children have neither parent present
- Children living with Other Relatives: 1.9 Million (2.5% of all children living in the US)
Foster Parents
423,773 children in the United States were in foster care (The AFCARS Report, 2009)
24% live with a relative
48% live with a non-relative
Others live in pre-adoptive homes, group homes, institutions, supervised independent living, runaways, or trail home visits.
Adoptive Parents (The AFCARS Report, 2009)
- 120 children were adopted by a stepparent
- 7, 637 children were adopted by a non-relative
- 17,300 were adopted by an other relative
- 29,417 children were adopted by a foster parent
Mentors
- Big Brothers Big Sisters mentored 245,000 children in 2009
Other Mothers in SOS Children’s Villages around the World
- In the U.S., SOS caregivers “mother” foster care children and reunite separated siblings
- In over 500 SOS Children’s Villages in 132 countries, over 5,000 SOS Mothers and SOS Aunties raise children in a stable loving family environment
- SOS Mothers undergo 2 years of formal training and are considered a child care professional
Other Mothers fulfill the Dreams of a Neglected Child. . . a warm hug, a shoulder to cry on, a mother’s love.
Without a loving parent or “Other Mother” in their lives, children may be subjected to abuse, neglect, abandonment or exploitation. Their vulnerability may lead to poor performance in school, behavioral problems, psychological trauma, drug addiction, criminal activity, incarceration, and/or homelessness.
Our greatest wish is for our boys and girls to break the cycle of abuse and neglect and realize their dreams. Every time one of our children grows up to be a responsible and successful adult, SOS rejoices. Not only have we provided them with a safe, happy home and helped them heal from their past traumas, we have also given them the hope for a better future.
