dccca.org

Improving Lives

Adoption

Adopt a Child from Foster Care

Reach out to our team to learn more.

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Why DCCCA?

  • Each family is assigned one DCCCA Specialist who will visit with the family on a regular basis to ensure that their needs are met
  • 24/7 support from your Specialist, because we know concerns don’t just arise during business hours
  • Adoptive Family Assessment at no cost to families
  • Training provided at no cost to adoptive families
  • Personalized matching of children with families
  • Liability insurance is provided
  • Quarterly support group
  • Monthly newsletter
  • Appreciation events for adoptive and foster families
  • If Licensed: Reimbursed twice per month until the Adoptive Placement Agreement (APA) is signed
  • If Licensed: Two days of paid respite per month until APA is signed

Adopting from foster care provides a stable and caring forever home to children who are unable to be with their biological family. There are two paths to adopt from foster care:

Adoption from Foster Care:
License as a foster home with the potential of adoption.

Adoption Only:
Does not require a foster care license

Steps for Adoption from Foster Care

STEP 1

Initial Contact

Let us know you’re interested here, call 877-306-6250, or email fostercare@dccca.org.
A Training and Licensing Specialist will follow up with you to answer any questions you have and schedule a meeting with you.

STEP 2

Training

Pre-service Training – this training is provided by DCCCA at no charge. It will introduce you to the child welfare system and give you the base knowledge to start caring for children who may have been abused, neglected or otherwise mistreated.

STEP 3

Licensing

Complete the foster care licensure process. See here for the process of licensing.
Begin taking foster care placements.

STEP 4

Family Assessment

When you have a child in your home you are interested in adopting, your DCCCA Specialist will complete a Family Assessment with you, which will be submitted to the Case Management Provider. Other families may submit as well.

STEP 5

Best Interest Staffing (BIS)

The BIS is a meeting where professionals and potential adoptive families gather to discuss all families interested in adopting the child(ren). The professionals then select which family would be the best match for the child(ren). The DCCCA Specialist will attend the BIS meeting but is not part of the selection decision.
If you are not selected, you will help develop a transition plan to move the child to their selected adoptive resource. You may continue to take foster care placements.

STEP 6

Reading the file

If you are selected in the BIS, you will schedule a time to read each child’s file to learn about the child’s strengths and needs as well as family history.

STEP 7

Adoption Placement Agreement (APA)

If you feel you can meet the child(ren)’s needs, you will schedule a time to negotiate subsidy with the Department for Children and Families (DCF) and sign the Adoption Placement Agreement (APA). You must notify your DCCCA Specialist when the APA has been signed.

STEP 8

Adoption Finalization

Finalization of the adoption usually occurs 6 months after signing the APA. This length of time may be shortened, depending on how long the child(ren) has been in your home. If you utilize an attorney who accepts the DCF rate for adoption finalization, there are no required court costs or adoption fees.

Steps for Adoption Only

STEP 1

Initial Contact

Let us know you’re interested here, call 877-306-6250, or email fostercare@dccca.org.

STEP 2

Training

Pre-service Training – this training is provided by DCCCA at no charge. It will introduce you to the child welfare system and give you the base knowledge to start caring for children who may have been abused, neglected or otherwise mistreated.

STEP 3

Family Assessment

A DCCCA Specialist will complete a Family Assessment with you, which will be submitted to the Case Management Provider when you’ve found a child you’re interested in. Other families may submit as well.

STEP 4

Search for kids

Once your Family Assessment has been completed, and you’ve been recommended for adopting, your DCCCA Specialist will enroll your family on the AdoptKSKids website.
At that point, you may search AdoptKSKids for children available for adoption.
Contact your DCCCA Specialist when you identify a child(ren) you are interested in so you can learn more about the child(ren). The child(ren)’s adoption worker will also learn about you.
If the adoption worker feels you would be a good match for the child(ren), a conference call will be scheduled with the case team.

STEP 5

Best Interest Staffing (BIS)

The BIS is a meeting where professionals and potential adoptive families gather to discuss all families interested in adopting the child(ren). The professionals then select which family would be the best match for the child(ren). The DCCCA Specialist will attend the BIS meeting but is not part of the selection decision.
If you are not selected, you can continue to inquire about other children.

STEP 6

Reading the file

If you are selected in the BIS, you will schedule a time to read each child’s file to learn about the child’s strengths and needs as well as family history.
If you do not feel you can meet the child’s needs, you can continue to inquire about other children.

STEP 7

Meeting the child(ren)

If you decide to continue after reading the file, a time will be arranged for you to meet the child(ren).
You will begin having visits and contact with the child(ren), which may include day visits, overnight visits, phone calls, texts, and/or FaceTime. A transition plan will be developed for the child(ren) to move to your home.

STEP 8

Adoption Placement Agreement (APA)

If you feel you can meet the child(ren)’s needs, you will schedule a time to negotiate subsidy with the Department for Children and Families (DCF) and sign the Adoption Placement Agreement (APA).

STEP 9

Adoption Finalization

Finalization of the adoption usually occurs 6 months after signing the APA. This length of time may be shortened, depending on how long the child(ren) has been in your home. If you utilize an attorney who accepts the DCF rate for adoption finalization, there are no required court costs or adoption fees.

FAQ about Adoption

Is it expensive to adopt?

It is typically not expensive to adopt from foster care. The Adoption Family Assessment is free if DCCCA or similar agency completes it. If you choose a private agency to do the assessment, it can cost around $1,500. When adopting from foster care, most court and legal fees are paid by the State if you hire an attorney that will accept the DCF rate (we can provide a list).

Post adoption, you may qualify for tax credits for adopting but will need to check with an accountant. The adoptive family is able to negotiate with DCF whether the child will continue to qualify for a medical card, monthly subsidy, or if they may qualify for a one-time amount for a specific expense. These negotiations are based on the needs and behaviors of the child(ren).

I’m not married. Can I adopt?

Yes! Adopting parents may be married, single, in a relationship, widowed, or divorced. However, an unmarried couple cannot adopt a child; only one parent can officially adopt the child.

I don’t own a home. Can I adopt?

Yes! You can adopt if you live in an apartment, duplex, condominium, single-family home, or mobile home. It just needs to meet state safety standards and have enough additional bedroom space for every household member, plus adopted children.

How is an adopted resource family chosen for a child?

Once rights have been terminated with biological parents, we search for families that are the best match for children. That may be a relative, an adoptive resource chosen at the BIS (someone the child has not met but is interested in adopting them), or it may be their current foster family.

Once a child is adopted, will they have contact with their biological family?

Each situation is different. You may be asked to maintain connections with previous foster families, siblings and/or relatives.

What types of children are available for adoption from foster care?

A majority of children are 8 years of age and older with the average age of 12. Many are part of sibling sets. Because the initial goal of foster care is reunification with biological family, it is rare that infants are available for adoption unless they are part of a sibling group with older children.

What is the time frame for adopting?

There are no set timeframes for the adoption process; a few factors include:

  • Amount of time the adoptive family takes to complete the approval process
    • Preparation and approval processes typically take 4-6 months
  • Type of child the adoptive family wishes to have in their home
    • Matching with a child and being selected may take a few months to a year or more
    • Once a child is in the adoptive family’s home, it typically takes 6-12 months before adoption finalization for the child and family to adjust
  • Unique circumstances of the child the family has selected