Love builds families. Commitment keeps them together.

Foster and Adopt Children in Virginia.

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Call 1-800-DO-ADOPT or 1-888-2-FOSTER to speak with a specialist.

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Attend an Orientation Session to understand the foster to adoption process.

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Begin the journey to growing your family by fostering and adopting your child!


VIRGINIA’S CHILDREN NEED YOU AND ARE WAITING FOR YOU

More than 700 children in Virginia are permanently and legally separated from their biological parents and seeking a new family to call their own. Adoption is a social, emotional, and legal process through which children become full and permanent members of another family, giving the new parent(s) the same rights and obligations as biological parents.

Adoption is also multifaceted, occurring in different ways to meet the specific needs of children. For example, kinship adoption by blood relatives or fictive kin who have an emotional connection with the child is one way for Virginia’s children to stay connected to their family, culture and traditions. Foster parents in Virginia also often become forever families to children and have adopted over 60% of our youth in foster care.

In Virginia, we prioritize reunifying children with their families whenever possible, and finding kinship caregivers or new, loving families for children when reunification is not possible.

We ask that you consider getting curious – about everything you know or think you know about adopting a child (or children!). Consider opening your heart and home to a child. Consider adoption.

Kinship Care

Kinship care is a way for Virginia’s children to stay connected to family when they are unable to live with their biological parents. When children enter foster care, relatives and/or fictive kin can become their primary caregiver (also called ‘kinship care provider’). When children are not able to return home, the kinship care provider who has been the child’s approved foster parent may then consider adopting the child. Kinship care is critical to reducing separation- related trauma, promoting stability, and maintaining family and cultural connections. Learn more.

CONSIDER ADOPTION IN VIRGINIA

The purpose of adoption is to place children who have been permanently and legally separated from their biological parents with a new family. In Virginia, over 60% of our foster care youth are adopted by their foster parent. Adoption in Virginia is an 11 step process that ensures the best fit and success for both the family and youth in care. Learn more about adoption.

Virginia Post-Adoption Support

Adoption is a pathway to a permanent, safe and loving family for many children. As an adoptive family, there may be times when you experience highs and lows and could use a helping hand. This section aims to do just that, by providing post-adoption resources and information in your area, so you have access to a range of support when and where you need it.

To provide these post-adoption support services to adoptive families such as yours, the Virginia Department of Social Services’ Division of Family Services has organized 76 localized agencies, known as the Regional Post-Adoption Consortium.

No matter where you live in Virginia, a regional consortium is working together to provide post-adoption services to you.

Click on any of the buttons to learn more.

Foster Care

Foster care is intended to be a temporary solution for children who have been removed from their birth family homes due to neglect, abuse, abandonment, or other endangerments to their health and/or safety. Every effort is made to help the child remain or return with his or her family, however, when reunification (or the process of returning a child to his or her birth family) is not possible, then adoption occurs as a permanent outcome in the best interest of the child. Becoming a foster parent is also the first step in the adoption process. Learn more about foster care.

Adoption Disclosure

Adoption Disclosure involves the official release of information from the sealed adoption record of an adopted child. The Virginia Department of Social Services maintains a permanent file of all adoptions finalized in Virginia on or after July 1, 1942. Whether you’re an adult adoptee, adoptive parent, birth parent, or adult birth sibling, you can request information from an adoption file. Learn more.

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