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The Ariel Difference  |  Types of Service  |  Supports  |  Locations  |  Getting Started  |  FAQs

What is adoption?

Adoption can take more than one path, and Ariel has been supporting families across both since 2013. In private adoption, a birth parent voluntarily chooses to make an adoption plan and selects the family she wants to raise her child. In public adoption, often called foster-to-adopt, a child in foster care has become legally free for adoption (meaning parental rights have been terminated by the court), and their foster family has the opportunity to make that placement permanent. Both are real paths to building a family, and Ariel is licensed to support either one statewide across Colorado.

The Ariel Difference

Respect for both adoptive and birth parents is fundamental to an ethical and supportive adoption process. Every party in an adoption is going through something real, and everyone deserves to feel like someone is fully in their corner. That same posture carries into the months after placement: Ariel makes monthly visits for six months to support the adoptive family before finalization comes.

The preparation families receive, on either track, isn’t just a checklist to satisfy the state. Ariel’s curriculum for adoptive families addresses grief, loss, attachment, trauma, and what it actually means to parent an adopted child across a lifetime, including the teen years and the questions that come later. We want adoptions to be forever, not just finalize. For birth parents, that preparation looks different but carries the same intention: making sure the decision feels right, informed, and made with full knowledge of what it means. A birth parent receives Ariel’s support and can meet as many families as she wants, and makes the final choice herself..

Meet the Barkers and the Johnsons

For the Barker family, private adoption wasn’t a straight path. There was waiting, uncertainty, and more than a few hard moments. What made the difference was knowing they weren’t navigating it alone.

“Private adoption wasn’t a straight path for us. There were moments of doubt, waiting, and heartbreak. But we were never alone in it. Having someone to walk alongside us made all the difference … and led us to the family we had been dreaming of.” — The Barkers

That experience isn’t unique. Families come to adoption after years of hoping, and many describe the journey the same way: harder than they expected, and more supported than they thought they’d be. After years of trying to grow their family, one couple was close to giving up hope — until the process began to feel manageable, and then real, and then theirs.

“After years of trying to grow our family, we were close to giving up hope. Then we found Ariel — and everything changed. They made sure we never felt alone in the process. Because of them, we are now a family.” — The Johnsons

Types of Adoption

Ariel supports two adoption tracks — private adoption and public adoption — and is licensed to facilitate either one statewide across Colorado. The right path depends on your situation, and a conversation with our team can help you figure out where to start.

 

Private adoption

Private adoption through Ariel connects hopeful adoptive families with birth parents who are considering an adoption plan for their child. For adoptive families, the first step is certification — a process that includes your home study and prepares you to be matched. Once certified, you’ll create an adoptive family profile: a short, personal document with photos and, if you’d like, a note to a potential birth parent. Profiles matter. Some birth mothers save them for a lifetime as the only tangible reminder of the family they entrusted their child to. When a birth parent is ready to choose, she reviews Ariel’s book of profiles and can arrange to meet as many families as she’d like. Ariel facilitates those meetings and supports her through the process. The timeline for matching varies and can’t be guaranteed; Ariel is honest about that from the start.

Colorado requires a six-month supervision period after placement. During that time, Ariel visits monthly. At the end of those six months, the family works with an adoption attorney to petition the court for finalization.

Ariel can also facilitate interstate adoptions through the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC), a process that allows Colorado-certified Ariel families to adopt children from other states. It’s complex, but Ariel has the experience and the relationships to navigate it.

If a birth parent has already identified a specific family or person she’d like to raise her child, Ariel can support that process. This is technically called a designated adoption — and it follows the same path as any private adoption.

On open and closed adoption: Colorado has no statute that enforces contact agreements after adoption. The birth parent sets the terms of any initial contact at the adoption hearing; the adoptive family determines what ongoing contact looks like afterward.

Fees: Adoption fees can vary depending on the services provided and the unique circumstances of each adoption. Ariel is proud to offer some of the most competitive pricing in the industry while maintaining high-quality support and services. We encourage you to schedule an appointment with our team to review our detailed fee schedule and discuss potential costs that may arise throughout the process. If you’ve already spoken with our team and are ready to submit payment for your adoption fees, use the button below.

Public adoption

Public adoption, often called foster-to-adopt, begins with becoming a Licensed foster parent. The goal of the foster care system is always reunification: helping children return safely to their birth families or be placed with kin. But some children become legally free for adoption when reunification isn’t possible and the court has terminated parental rights. When that happens, a child’s foster family has the opportunity to adopt.

There are two starting points. Some children are already legally free and waiting—they have no path to reunification and need a permanent family now. Others are still in foster care with an uncertain legal future; families who take these placements are entering what’s called a legal risk placement, where adoption is possible but not yet certain. Both situations are real paths to adoption, and Ariel will be honest with you about what each involves.

Before finalization, foster parents receive the monthly foster care stipend and medical coverage for the child. Children who are adopted from foster care may also be eligible for ongoing Medicaid benefits with eligibility being determined case by case with the state. After finalization, families can close their foster care license; the county where the adoption is finalized becomes the primary post-adoption resource, and Ariel can help connect families with those supports during the transition.

Wondering whether to start with foster care or adoption? Visit our Foster Care page to learn more.

The Home Study

Regardless of which track you pursue, a home study is required before any placement. Ariel uses the SAFE (Structured Analysis Family Evaluation) methodology—a thorough process that includes criminal background checks, and a comprehensive look at your parenting approach, home environment, and readiness. Home studies are valid for one year and must be updated annually.

It’s not just a vetting process, though it is that. A home study also identifies your strengths and surfaces areas where additional support, training, or preparation could help — so that when a child comes home, you’re ready.

Additional support available with Adoption

Ariel’s most active support happens in the six months between placement and finalization. Monthly visits during this period aren’t a formality — staff are watching for attachment concerns, developmental milestones, and anything that might need attention before the adoption is legally complete. If something comes up, Ariel connects families with the right resources, such as therapy and developmental evaluations.

After finalization, formal Ariel involvement ends, but the door stays open. Staff remain available informally for questions, referrals, and the kinds of things that don’t fit neatly into a program. Therapy and other Ariel services are available on a private-pay basis for families who want continued support. For families exploring therapy as part of their post-adoption journey, our Child & Family Therapy page has more information.

Where we provide Adoption services

Ariel provides adoption services statewide. Families must live in Colorado to be certified, but once certified, Ariel can facilitate adoptions involving children from other states through the ICPC process. For all adoption inquiries, reach out through our contact page—we’ll connect you with the right person for your area.

How to get started

The starting point for both adoption tracks is a conversation. There’s no commitment in that first call, just a chance to ask questions, understand the process, and figure out whether Ariel is the right fit for your family.

From there, you’ll complete an application and move into the certification process, which includes your home study. For private adoption, certification also involves creating your adoptive family profile the document a birth parent will use to get to know your family before making her decision.

Once you’re certified, the process looks different depending on your track. For private adoption, you’ll wait for a match; for foster-to-adopt, you’ll wait for just the right placement. In both cases, Ariel stays in contact during the wait and is present through placement, post-placement visits, and finalization.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

If you don’t find what you’re looking for below, feel free to ask your question via our Contact Form.

Ariel offers private adoption and public/foster-to-adopt adoption.

No. Ariel supports private adoption and public/foster-to-adopt adoption within the United States only.

Adoption is open to all qualified families — single adults, married couples, same-sex couples, renters, and families with children. You must be at least 21 and physically and financially able to parent. There are no restrictions based on sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnic background, or religious beliefs.

A home study is a comprehensive assessment of your home, your background, and your readiness to parent. Ariel uses the SAFE methodology. It includes criminal background checks and a review of your parenting approach. Home studies are valid for one year and must be renewed annually. The process prepares you as much as it evaluates you.

The county does not offer adoption services. Its primary goal is family reunification. Ariel supports both adoption tracks, is licensed statewide, and has community relationships and contacts across Colorado.

Yes. Adoptive families must live in Colorado and be certified by Ariel, but once certified, Ariel can facilitate adoptions involving children from other states through the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC).

Yes. Ariel welcomes all qualified families, and there is no single definition of what an adoptive family looks like. What matters is the ability to provide a safe, loving home and a genuine commitment to a child’s wellbeing.

Private adoption through Ariel connects hopeful adoptive families with birth parents who are considering an adoption plan. Ariel provides guidance, support, and coordination throughout the entire process.

Timelines vary depending on your preferences and how quickly a match is made. Once a child is placed, Colorado requires a six-month supervision period before you can petition for finalization.

Fees for private adoption vary depending on the services involved and the circumstances of each adoption. Ariel’s nonprofit model allows us to offer some of the most competitive pricing available — because keeping fees accessible is part of our mission. For a full fee schedule and a conversation about what to expect, give us a call.

Foster-to-adopt means becoming a licensed foster parent with the possibility of adopting a child if reunification with the birth family is not possible. Most foster placements will lead to adoption—and for many families it becomes the path to permanency.

It varies greatly depending on the child’s situation and how the legal process unfolds. There is no way to predict how long it may take for a child to become legally free for adoption, as each case follows its own timeline.

That’s completely possible through Ariel. If you have a specific family in mind, you don’t have to start from scratch, Ariel can facilitate the adoption process with that family directly. Attorneys sometimes call this a designated adoption, and it follows the same path as any private adoption: home study, profile, placement, supervision, and finalization.

Children of all ages may be available, but many children waiting for adoption are school-aged, part of sibling groups, or have additional needs.

Adoption from foster care is typically low-cost or free, and many expenses are reimbursed.

Yes. For children that are in the foster care system foster parents receive a monthly foster care stipend to help cover the child’s basic needs, along with medical coverage for the child. Children adopted from foster care may also be eligible for ongoing Medicaid benefits — eligibility is determined case by case with the county.

>> Unless otherwise noted, all images and names represent real foster children and parents but actual images and names have not been used for privacy reasons. <<