For more than 110 years, CHS has been recruiting and preparing individuals and families who are willing to open their hearts and homes to adopt children in need. Utilizing innovative strategies, CHS focuses on placing older children, sibling groups, and children with a wide variety of special needs in permanent, loving families where they can thrive.

Our adoption programs involve family recruitment, parenting preparation, home study services, counseling for families and children, post-placement support, and a variety of services for the entire family.

Through counseling with experienced staff and valuable training classes, CHS prepares parents for the unique challenges of adopting a child. Because an adoption is a new beginning for families, CHS provides lifelong support and assistance to adoptive families with special support services.

With more than 2,700 children available for adoption in North Carolina, you have the opportunity to make a big difference in the life of a child.  These children are in foster care due to abuse or neglect and represent all ages and races. We provide a wide variety of service for little or no charge to individuals and families who are willing to open their hearts and homes to these children.

You do not have to be married, own your home, be wealthy, or have biological children in order to adopt. You can choose to adopt a child from the foster care system or choose to participate in CHS’s Infant Networking Program. CHS can also assist you with your home study for international adoptions and with the process of relative/stepparent adoptions.

If you think you might be ready to consider building your family through adoption and you live in North Carolina, please contact CHS today. 

Steps to Adoption

1. Contact CHS and request adoption information. You will receive information about our organization and the needs of children who are waiting to be adopted. You will also receive an application for adoption.
2. Your completed application will be referred to a CHS social worker in your area and they will contact you.
3. You and your social worker will meet to discuss your interest in adoption and the comprehensive services provided by CHS.
4. You will be asked to participate in adoption training known as MAPP in your area and a FBI/SBI fingerprint criminal record check will be performed (required by Federal and State Law).
5. A home study, also called a pre-placement assessment, will be completed as the final step in the licensing process to quality a family for adoption.
6. You will continue to discuss your family situation with your social worker and explore the type of children for whom you could provide the best home.
7. You will begin being considered for children based on your preferences and adoption plan. You may also be given the names of adoptive parents with whom you can contact for support and advice on your own if you wish.
8. Once you have been selected for a child or children, you will be given all available information about their background.
9. Pre-placement visits will be scheduled in the child’s home community and in your home to allow you to meet the child and get to know them better. You may also meet people who have played a significant role in the child’s life (foster parents, teachers, counselors, etc.)
10. After the child joins your family, a social worker will continue to provide support, as you become a family through adoption.
11. Your adoption is legally completed and you receive a copy of the decree of adoption.
    

For more information, please call 1-800-632-1400 or contact us.