Public Adoption Program

Through our Public or Waiting Child Adoption Program we help children and youth in the child welfare system find permanent, loving families. Approximately 400,000 children are in foster care in the United States right now. Of these, more than 100,000 will not be able to return to home and are waiting for families to adopt them. These children have been removed from their homes due to high-risk situations such as abuse, neglect, or abandonment. Ariel Clinical Services works with the Department of Human Services (DHS) to place these waiting children in adoptive homes that can meet their needs. The children are of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds and may have special emotional, behavioral, developmental or medical needs. Many of the children are waiting for adoption with their siblings, looking for families who will keep them all together.

Please check our Adoption Process page for more information about what you can expect. Or see our FAQ below to view some of the most common questions we receive from adoptive parents.

Public Adoption FAQ

After you become certified and create a profile you wait for a birth mother to choose you as the family she wants to relinquish her rights to. Once chosen we walk the remainder part of the journey with birth mom. After delivery you take the child home and an Ariel worker visits monthly. Birth parents go before a judge to complete relinquishment of their parental rights and after six months we petition the court for adoption.

Once you are chosen and have the child in your home, the child is required to be in your home for six months to ensure attachment, development and well-being. After six months we petition the courts for an adoption hearing.

Each adoption is different. At Ariel, we work hard to keep our costs extremely competitive. Our goal is to make families. The basic expenses include up-front payment for the home study and licensing. Additional costs are incurred after the birth mom has chosen your family. Please make an appointment with us to discuss this option and learn more about the costs to determine whether this is the right decision for you.