Adopt a Child in Virginia

Open Your Heart - Adopt a Foster Child in Virginia

Welcome to AdoptionVA, where the power of love, compassion, and family transforms lives. Our mission is to connect adoptable foster children with loving families throughout Virginia, creating bright futures and forever families.

Foster children are among our most vulnerable yet resilient individuals. A stable, safe, and supportive home life is the foundation for helping kids thrive and reach their full potential. Many children enter foster care while their birth parents resolve a life crisis. During this transitional time, children need a stable home environment. In these cases, foster parents play a critical role by providing safe haven until kids can reunify with their birth parents.

However, for many foster children, returning to their biological families is not possible, and they become eligible for adoption. Foster-to-adopt parents step into fostering with the intention of adopting, ultimately providing a child with a permanent, loving family. Both Kinship care and foster-to-adoption are paths that work toward permanence, improving the lives of countless foster children.

When you choose foster-to-adoption, the licensing process is similar to that of providing foster care. Both prepare you to welcome a child into your home. 70% of foster children eligible for adoption find their forever homes with their fostering families… a testament to the deep family bonds that form.

Foster-to-adopt parents come from all kinds of lifestyles and backgrounds. With nearly 1,700 children currently seeking adoption within Virginia's Department of Social Services, your future child is waiting. Despite children entering and exiting foster care each week, over 5,000 children consistently need care, highlighting the ongoing need for adoptive families.

Thank you for trusting AdoptionVA as your partner in adopting a child from Virginia’s foster care system.  Our Extra Special Parent (ESP) Advocates are dedicated to supporting you every step of the way. With our 24/7 support, you will never feel alone as you navigate this transformative journey. By joining our community, you become part of a vibrant network of adoptive and foster parents across the Commonwealth, all committed to making a difference for foster children.

As you follow your heart to becoming a foster-to-adopt parent, rest assured that our experienced team will provide all the guidance and support you need throughout the approval process as you build your forever family.

Every child deserves the love of a family and the security of a place to call home. Your decision to adopt from foster care will change a child’s life.

Foster-to-Adopt Parent Training

Prospective parents in Virginia must meet the same state-mandated training requirements whether they plan to adopt or foster a child. Each session covers a range of parenting and child development topics. Specialized training is tailored to meet the specific needs of both parent and child, as needed. For example, if the child you wish to adopt has physical, emotional, or developmental challenges, your training program will be adjusted to ensure you are well-prepared and set up for success.

Training also includes a guided review of the Home Study process. Your specialist will help you prepare to seamlessly complete this most detailed portion of the foster-to-adopt process. Your dedicated adoption specialist will provide a checklist you can use to ensure your home is safe and ready to welcome your child.

All parents face day-to-day challenges, and fostering to adopt is no different. You will have a dedicated specialist and 24/7 support. Your team of specialists has both depth and experience to help manage every question or unforeseen need. AdoptionVA support continues after Virginia approves you to adopt a child and even after your adoption is complete.

Our ongoing support for adoptive parents allows you to concentrate on loving, supporting, and spending time with your children.

Adoptive Parent Support

Our ESP foster and adoptive parent support group meets monthly, bringing together foster, foster-to-adopt, and adoptive families, respite providers, and ESP partner staff. All members have completed or are currently undergoing foster parent training.

We offer access to clinical specialists and maintain a 24/7/365 crisis hotline, ensuring you can reach us at any time. These systems are designed to provide complete support throughout your family's journey.

As you navigate the path to becoming a forever family for a foster child, we are here to guide you every step of the way. As a foster parent, you will be integrated into a care team that includes your child's local Department of Social Services (LDSS) case manager and your ESP adoption specialist. We provide comprehensive support before, during, and after the adoption process.

We also invite you to explore our extensive blog library on foster care and adoption. These articles offer insights into the United States child welfare system and advice on caring for children who have been in foster care. If there's a topic you're interested in that you don't see covered, please let us know. We are committed to expanding our resources to meet the needs of current and future adoptive parents.