Adoption Overview 

What is Adoption?

Adoption is the permanent, legal transfer of parental rights and responsibilities from a child’s birth parents to the adoptive parents.

Orange County Children & Family Services Adoption Program

• A state licensed, public adoption agency. 

• Responsible for finding adoptive families for foster children, dependents of the Orange County Juvenile Court, that cannot safely return to their birth parents.

Who are the children available for adoption?

Foster children of all ages, from newborns to adolescents, including:

• Children who do not have any brothers or sisters;

• Children who are part of a sibling group;

• Children who represent a variety of backgrounds, ethnic groups, and cultures;

• Children who may display a variety of special developmental, medical, or emotional needs

• Children wishing for permanent families to love them.

Visit the Heart Gallery and meet some of the wonderful children looking for special families to adopt and love them.

Financial Assistance

Established by the federal and state governments, the Adoption Assistance Program (AAP):

• Provides financial assistance to help families with the on-going expenses of caring for a child adopted from the foster care system.

• Continues until a child who was adopted from the foster care system reaches 18 years of age.

• Allows some adopted children who qualify for financial assistance to remain eligible until they reach 21 years of age.

Federal Tax Incentives:

• The federal government may provide tax incentives to help adoptive families with the costs of adoption. 

• Please consult your independent tax advisor for additional information regarding possible federal tax incentives for adoptive families.

What's Required?

• Attend an orientation meeting during which the adoption process will be explained and questions answered.

• Work with an Adoption Home Study Worker who will be assigned to help you complete the necessary steps leading to the placement of an adoptive child.

• Meet with an Adoptioins Social Worker.

• Attend PRIDE Training, which was designed to prepare foster and adoptive families for the special needs of dependent children. 
  PRIDE training schedule

• Learn more… about the steps for becoming an adoptive parent

What to Expect

The adoption process is specifically designed to help you discover if adoption is right for you and your family.  It is a personal matter and will involve a commitment of time to complete the classes and the home study process.

Creating a family through adoption can be a challenging undertaking.  It can also be one of life’s most satisfying and rewarding experiences for you, for your adopted child, and for your family.

Become a Concurrent Planning Family

The federal government requires child protection agencies to support reunification between children and their parents, while at the same time developing permanent plans for the children in case reunification efforts fail.  This is called concurrent planning.

Concurrent planning families are both licensed foster homes and approved adoptive homes.  Learn more…

Where to Begin

If you are interested in learning more about Orange County Adoptions or the adoption process, please contact:

Adoption Recruiter Patrick Hammond
at (714) 704-8946 or Patrick.Hammond@ssa.ocgov.com

or call 1-888-871-5437 for an Orientation schedule

We will also be answering questions at our next Adoption Recruitment Event

Adoption: Helpful Links

For additional resources on adoption or post-adoption Click here.