For couples thinking about adopting a child, the issue of adopting two siblings together often presents itself. While the couple may be uncertain about adopting two children at once, they may find that the situation comes with its own unique benefits.

It’s Better for the Children

The foster care system helps to make sure children have their needs met while they await a more permanent living situation. Yet, it can be an unstable environment with some children moving from foster home to foster home. When this does happen,a sibling may be the only positive and constant force in the child’s life.

Children can often feel frightened and may stress about their future, but having a sibling with them lightens that burden. They may have lost the rest of their family, but staying close to a sibling gives them something familiar. They can maintain close bonds, which helps them to cope with the changes that their new lives will bring.

The Benefits of Adopting Siblings

Keeping siblings together also helps the adopting parents, because they adjust to their new home with fewer difficulties. This means less failed placements for the children, increasing the likelihood that the adoption will be a success. When adopted together, siblings also feel more comfortable in expressing their feelings.

Additionally, adoptive parents may experience less difficulty in dealing with the child in their search for their identity. As they grow older, adopted children strike out, eager to learn about their biological families. However, keeping siblings together means they won’t feel that absence in their lives. They will have a close blood relative right there and, together, they can help each other remember the life they shared with their parents.

Adopting siblings is also easier on the couple, especially if they believe they will want to adopt more children in the future. The adoption process can be lengthy and frustrating, so adopting two children together cuts down on that time. There’s less red tape involved and the family doesn’t have to adjust in two different transitions.

If this sounds like the right choice for you and your partner, you’ll have no trouble finding siblings. About two-thirds of children in the foster care system are accompanied by a sibling. By contacting your local foster care organization or going to AdoptUSKids, you can get your family started in no time.