Privatizing adoption and foster care: Applying auction and market solutions

The privatization of the administrative aspects of adoption and foster care in the states of Kansas, Michigan, and Illinois were evaluated in a study, with the Illinois model achieving the best results in increasing adoptions and eliminating inefficient providers. A national adoption market with ubiquitous information is recommended and a modern economic theory of auctions is applied to the adoptive process in order to assist the adoption of hard to place children.