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A report from Lifeway Research shows that more church leaders are encouraging adoption and foster care among their flocks.

Overall, 44% of U.S. Protestant churchgoers report some church involvement in adoption and/or foster care while 45% say they haven’t seen such support.

Among those who have seen support -18% say their leaders have encouraged adoption, 17% report encouragement for foster care, and others report other ways of raising awareness like fundraising. The data appears to show that churchgoers under 50 are more likely than those over 50 to see such activity.

But this data comes at a time when adoption and foster care has fallen among all Americans in recent years, which is believed to be directly related to the pandemic.

Some experts have also expressed concern that the overturning of Roe v. Wade would put increased strain on the foster care system.

Scott McConnell, executive director Lifeway Research, recognizes these challenges. In the report, he says the need is “great” and stresses the importance of “caring for the fatherless” as we are taught to do throughout Scripture.