Who Can Foster and Adopt

In most instances, your marital status, age, income, and sexual orientation will not automatically disqualify you from adopting a child from U.S. foster care. You don’t need to own your own home, have children already, be young, wealthy, or a stay-at-home parent to adopt or foster.

Characteristics needed to be a good foster or adoptive parent include:

• Being stable, mature, dependable, and flexible
• Having the ability to advocate for children
• Being a team player with your family or child welfare worker
   

While most adults qualify to foster and adopt, eligibility requirements vary between States. Use our interactive map of state foster care and adoption information to determine if you’re eligible to adopt where you live.

Child Welfare Information Gateway also has a great summary of state laws about who may adopt, be adopted, or placed for adoption .

Adoption Laws and Resources for LGBT Families

Laws regarding adoption and foster care by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals vary from State to State. To help you in your adoption journey, we have compiled a list of resources and information for LGBT families.

• Find out more about LGBT adoption laws and resources
   

Adoption Resources for Military Families

Military families stationed overseas and within the U.S. are eligible to adopt children from the U.S. foster care system.

• Find out more about military family adoption resources
   

Global Adoption Resources

Both U.S. citizens and non-citizens living outside the United States are eligible to adopt from U.S. foster care.

• Find out more about global adoption resources

State Adoption and Foster Care Information

Learn about foster care and adoption guidelines in your State.

• Select State, Territory, or Tribe:

       Select       Alabama       Alaska       Arizona       Arkansas       California       Cherokee Nation       Colorado       Connecticut       Delaware       Florida       Georgia       Guam       Hawaii       Idaho       Illinois       Indiana       International       Iowa       Kansas       Kentucky       Louisiana       Maine       Maryland       Massachusetts       Michigan       Minnesota       Mississippi       Missouri       Montana       Nebraska       Nevada       New Hampshire       New Jersey       New Mexico       New York       New York City       North Carolina       North Dakota       Ohio       Oklahoma       Oregon       Pennsylvania       Puerto Rico       Puerto Rico Espanol       Rhode Island       South Carolina       South Dakota       Tennessee       Texas       Utah       Vermont       Virgin Islands       Virginia       Washington       Washington, D.C.       West Virginia       Wisconsin       Wyoming     

Select from Map:US Map

Courtesy: Adoptuskids.org