Adopting from foster care means providing a permanent home to a child who has been removed from their birth family due to abuse, neglect, or other unsafe conditions and whose birth parents' rights have been (or will be) terminated. There are approximately 120,000 children in the US foster care system waiting to be adopted.
17 steps across 2 sections
1. Steps Process
- Learn About Foster Care Adoption
- Attend an informational meeting or orientation hosted by your local child welfare agency
- Understand that children in foster care range from infants to teens, with the average age being about 8
- Many children have experienced trauma, neglect, or abuse and may have special needs
- Be realistic about what you can handle and which children you are prepared to parent
- Contact an Agency
- Reach out to your local public child welfare agency or a licensed private agency that provides foster care services
- You will be assigned a caseworker or adoption specialist who guides you through the process
- Ask about the differences between foster-to-adopt and straight adoption from foster care
- Complete the Application
2. Key Details
- Cost: Free or very low cost (most expenses are covered by the state; any costs are often reimbursable)
- Adoption subsidies: Many children adopted from foster care qualify for ongoing monthly subsidies, Medicaid, and education assistance until age 18 (or 21 in some states)
- Timeline: 6-12 months to become licensed; 1-3 years total from start to finalization
- Children's ages: Infants to teens; the average age is about 8; sibling groups are common
- Special needs: Many children have special needs (medical, developmental, emotional) and qualify for additional support services
- Who can adopt: Singles, married couples, and domestic partners can all adopt from foster care; there are no income minimums, though you must be able to meet basic needs
- Foster-to-adopt: Many families foster a child first, then adopt when parental rights are terminated
Common Mistakes
- Expecting to adopt an infant from foster care (most waiting children are older)
- Underestimating the impact of trauma on the child and not being prepared for ...
- Not taking advantage of available support services (therapy, respite care, su...
- Giving up during the lengthy and sometimes frustrating process
- Not understanding that the foster care system's primary goal is family reunif...
Pro Tips
- Be open to older children and sibling groups — they wait the longest and have...
- Take full advantage of the free training and support services offered by your...
- Connect with other foster/adoptive families through support groups — they und...
- Apply for the adoption subsidy (monthly payments, Medicaid, and education ass...
- Use the federal adoption tax credit to offset any out-of-pocket expenses