Should Single Parents be allowed to Adopt?

The lifestyle and some health issues of this century have led to a steady, sizable increase in the number of single-parent adoptions. Why would a successful, independent single man or woman want to give up his or her freedom and assume the responsibilities of raising a child? The trend is mainly due to the fact that the desire to nurture and share life as a family has become to be a strong need that is felt by a large number of people, and one that is not exclusively to married people or couples. The purpose of adoption is to provide children a loving and caring parent. Single parents should be allowed to adopt because more single parents provide a solid environment for the child, there is a shortage of adoptive parents for older and disabled children, and single parents have the urge to nurture and raise a child.

First of all, single parent adoption provides a much more solid environment: a home free from the issues of an unstable, broken home and its effects on the child. Single parents are usually of higher education and have higher incomes in comparison to the countries average. They have concentrated on their careers and have established a stable home that would benefit a child. Divorced parents, on the other hand, are dealing with emotional and financial stress, which can negatively affect a child. According to New York Times, "out of one-fifth of the nation 's 51.1 million Caucasian children, over half of the 9.8 million African American children and almost one-third of the 7 million Hispanic children live with one parent due to divorce and unwed mothers". With these types of statistics, there is no reason to discriminate against a single person for adopting a child when he or she is quite capable of providing a stable and nurturing environment.

Another point is that there is a great shortage of adoptive parents for older children and those with disabilities. Single parents can help to fill this shortage. The majority of couples looking to adopt want a