Helpful Adoption Resources
For Prospective Adoptive Parents
Domestic Infant Adoption
Adoption Law Group does not represent prospective adoptive parents hoping to be matched with a child, but we know how confusing your choices can be. If you're just starting your adoption journey, it's research time! You will be making critical choices initially and need to be armed with reliable information. As you may already know, it's hard for adoptive parents to know where to turn when beginning their pursuit of infant adoption.
Working with a licensed adoption agency or attorney who adheres to best practices is essential if you're specifically interested in domestic infant adoption. To find the best adoption agencies and attorneys in the country, we recommend checking out
AdoptMatch. AdoptMatch Partners are a group of licensed, vetted adoption attorneys and agencies committed to best practices in adoption.
California Home Study Providers
Full-Service Agency; Licensed in Alameda, Amador, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Marin, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba counties
Full-Service Agency; Licensed in Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties
Family Connections Christian Adoption (FCCA)
Full-Service Agency, Private Adoption, and Foster Care. Licensed in all counties in California
Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services
Full-Service Agency, Private Adoption, and Foster Care
Licensed in Inyo, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties
Nightlight Christian Adoptions
Full-Service Agency; Licensed in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties
Full-Service Agency; Private Adoption and Foster Care
Licensed in Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Stanislaus, Tulare, Tuolumne, and Ventura counties
International Christian Adoptions
Full-Service Agency, Private Adoptions, and Foster Care
Licensed in all counties in California.
For Prospective Adoptive Parents Considering International Adoption
International adoption can be an excellent way to build your family and become involved in making a difference in a child's life and even in their country of origin. At the same time, international adoption poses significant challenges, and working with an agency that can help prepare you for those challenges and navigate them as they arise is essential.
If you are interested in adopting a child from a particular country, the U.S.State Department website is a great place to learn about that country's specific adoption requirements and policies: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/Intercountry-Adoption/Intercountry-Adoption-Country-Information.html
For help finding an international agency, Family Connections Christian Adoption, a licensed agency that offers international home studies for California families, as well as many other adoption services, is a good source for accurate information about international adoption:
https://www.fcadoptions.org/adoption-options/international-adoption.php
Additionally, the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) has an excellent list of suggested questions for prospective adoptive parents to ask when beginning the process. https://cafo.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/12-Questions-for-Adoption-Agencies.pdf
For Prospective Adoptive Parents Considering Foster Parenting in the State of California
If you're interested in becoming foster parents to a child, we recommend working with a private foster family agency(FFA) contracted with the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to assist you throughout your foster or foster to adoption journey.
Private adoption agencies can often provide families with additional valuable support groups and training as they parent new children in their homes.
Our recommended foster family agencies are:
Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services
Medical Information
Stramski International Adoption Clinic at Miller Children's and Women's Hospital (Long Beach, CA). This free clinic provides pre-adoption and in-country consultations on children's medical records and comprehensive medical examinations following adoption:. https://www.millerchildrenshospitallb.org/centers-programs/international-adoption
The Handbook of International Adoption Medicine by Dr. Laurie C. Miller
Open Adoption Support
AdoptConnect.com: AdoptConnect is a private online platform where birth parents and adoptive parents share photos and updates in a secure, password-protected digital environment.
The Open-Hearted Path to Open Adoption By Lori Holden
Lifegivers: Framing the Birthparent Experience in Open Adoption By James Gritter
Connections Matter: Relationships With Birth Families Are Important for Foster, Adopted Children By Debbie Riley and Ellen Singer
Discusses the benefits of maintaining contact with birth families and tips on how to make the relationships between adoptive and birth parents work.
Recommended Websites:
Adoption Law Handbook - written by Jennifer Fairfax, published by the ABA.
Adoptive Parents Committee (APC) is a nonprofit parent support group comprised of volunteers dedicated to improving all aspects of adoption and interim (foster) care.
Center for Adoption Policy - Extensive website providing research, analysis, and education to practitioners and the public about current legislation and practices governing domestic and international adoption in the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa.
Center for Adoption Support and Education - A nonprofit organization dedicated to providing support and education to everyone in the adoption community.
Child Welfare Information Gateway - Child Welfare Information Gateway provides access to information and resources to help protect children and strengthen families.
Creating a Family - A nonprofit organization providing education and support for infertility or adoption.
Infertility & Adoption - Providing a place of learning, growth, connection, and support to those who are or will be raising "chosen" children.
Internet Adoption School provides information on independent, agency, and international adoptions. The website has online educational seminars to help you plan a safe, ethical, and loving adoption.
National Adoption Center Promotes public awareness on adoption issues, and supports recruitment of foster parents, information, and research publications.
National Adoption Foundation - Provides information regarding adoption grants, adoption loans, other funding, The Foundation’s programs are available to any family whether adopting a child domestically, abroad, or from foster care.
National Council for Adoption - Provides support for domestic and foreign efforts that ensure every child lives, grows, and thrives in a safe, permanent, and loving family.
PACT Adoption Alliance - Dedicated to providing adoption-related services to children of color, and their birth and adoptive parents.
Adoption Blogs
Wreckage and Wonder
Podcasts
Adoption Creates Families Podcast
Birth Mother Matters in Adoption
Creating a Family: Talk about Adoption & Foster Care
Moore to Love: An Adoption Podcast
Podcast | The Honestly Adoption Company
Sessions with an Adoption Attorney
We Can Do This: Our Adoption Journey
Visit AdoptMatch for more recommended podcasts: https://www.adoptmatch.com/adoption-podcasts
If you are an expectant mother or birth mother in California looking for support resources, please visit
truadopt.org. If you are outside of California and need help with adoption, please visit
adoptmatch.com.
