Ensuring every child has a chance.
We want all children to find their forever homes. We use a specialized approach to match the longest-waiting children in foster care with families uniquely suited to their needs.
Adoption
Since our founding in 1902, we’ve helped to bring more than 16,000 families together. We pair children of all ages with adoptive parents who will nurture and love them. Our dedication to adoptive families continues for a lifetime from the initial adoption process through post-adoption support.
The CHS Adoption Process
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1. Application
Contact CHS and request adoption information and application.
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2. Meet with a Specialist
Meet with a CHS Specialist to discuss your interest in adoption and the type of children for whom you could provide the best permanent home.
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3. Complete Training
Complete a training class known as TIPS-MAPP (Trauma Informed Partnering for Safety and Permanence: Model Approach to Partnerships in Parents) in your area.
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4. Home Assessment
Complete a mutual home assessment and foster care license (required for adoption) and a home study.
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5. Approval
Receive approval as a licensed foster home and discuss potential placements with your CHS Specialist.
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6. Visit with the Child
Pre-placement visits with the child and people in the child’s life.
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7. Child Comes Home
Child is welcomed into your home.
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8. Congratulations!
Decree of Adoption is issued.
Types of Adoption
INFANT ADOPTION
We work with a select number of families in our Infant Networking Program to keep our wait times for adoptive placement shorter and more reasonable.
RELATIVE ADOPTION
We help relatives or adults close to a child through social and legal ties become their permanent adoptive families.
ADOPT AN OLDER CHILD
Statistically, children ages 9 – 20 have a much harder time finding adoptive families. We’re working to change this.
Adoption FAQs
If you have questions, we can help. Contact us today.
We encourage our families to both foster and provide respite while waiting to be matched, as this enhances your experience parenting a child with trauma.
You can both foster and adopt. It is important to know that most of the children needing an adoptive family are above the age of 9 or part of a sibling group.
Most of the children currently needing an adoptive family are above the age of 9 or part of a sibling group.
There is a $120 clerk filing fee per child, due during the time of adoption and should you elect to retain an attorney, the attorney with whom we partner charges $500 per child, both of these fees are often reimbursable. There are also incidentals during the foster care licensing process. (CHS licenses all families whether they want to foster, adopt, or both), and many of those can be found in the PDF booklet for here.
Learn About Our Post-Adoption Services
Adoption can be hugely rewarding but may come with significant challenges as a family grapples with past trauma, grief and loss. In an effort to prevent crisis and to help navigate tough times, we connect parents to highly clinical services and support that can preserve and increase their family’s well-being.
Becoming an Adoptive Parent
We offer an array of parenting support services that will help prepare you to adjust to your child’s unique needs.
Foster Care with CHS
Even if only for a short period, the impact you can make in a child’s life through foster care can be immense. Learn more about this powerful opportunity to make a difference.
Learn More
Get Involved
Our community is vital to our success. Find out how your time, talent and resources can help more children find and experience loving families.
Donate Now
It takes a village to raise a child. And it takes a community to affect lasting change. Invest in the lives of children and make a difference for families everywhere.
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Download our Foster Care Booklet