Start The Adoption Process
Adoption is a lifelong journey so get as much information as possible before you begin. If you are interested in adopting through the foster care system, you must first become certified as a foster parent.
Training and Home Study
Once you’ve decided that adopting through the foster care system is right for you, the first step is to contact your local county department of human services or a child placement agency to attend an information meeting. You can find the dates, times and location of information meetings on each organization’s website and on our information meeting page.
You must be at least 21 or older, pass a background check, complete training and receive a home study. Every foster parent must complete core training and other trainings, such as CPR and first aid. The county or child placement agency that you are working with may also require other trainings.
Matching Process
Once you have become a foster parent, you will be able to care for a young person who is in foster care. Most children in foster care are reunited with their families. If this is not possible, then adoption may become an option. Most children in foster care who are later adopted are adopted by their foster parents.
Adoption is child-focused. A caseworker’s goal is to find the right family for a child, rather than to find a child for a family. You are still able to make inquires on children who are waiting. Meet many of the children and teens in Colorado who are waiting for a family on the Colorado Heart Gallery.
Colorado also has partnerships with Raise the Future and Adopt US Kids, two organizations whose websites allow users to make inquires on specific children.
Find Support
Adoption can take several years. Whether you have children who are in foster care living with you or not, it is important to seek support from others who are going through the same process. Find a support group through the county or child placement agency that certified you. You can also find support groups online.
Ask A Question
The Colorado Department of Human Services contracts with Raise the Future to answer questions and help Coloradans get started fostering or adopting in Colorado. If you aren’t sure about how to get started or just want to ask more questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.
