Adoption services are provided free of charge for children who have been legally and permanently separated from their natural parents. Applicants must be able to meet the requirements and standards set by the State of Virginia. Couples as well as single parents are considered.
Here is a listing of the services our adoption unit offers:
- Children who are in foster care, whose parents' rights have been terminated, are placed in adoptive homes. After adoption, subsidy payments may be made to offset expenses for special needs children.
- Home studies/reports for any adoption in which the court has determined that the family is unable to pay a private agency for this service.
- A birth family search is initiated, upon the request from an adult adoptee whose adoption was facilitated through the Virginia Department of Social Services, in an effort to determine if contact and/or exchange of information is wanted by the birth family. Services are provided through this period including the presence of a social worker at the time of the initial meeting between birth family and adult adoptee.
- Adult adoptees have the right to request and receive non identifying background information about themselves and their birth family from their finalized adoption record.
- Birth parents have the right to send letters to this agency to be included in their child's adoption record. The Adult & Family Services Division will act as an intermediary at the birth parent request, for the purpose of exchanging pictures and non identifying information with their child's adoptive parents.
- Considering an adoptive placement? Biological parent(s) may request counseling for themselves while they are considering adoptive placement. Parents may relinquish custody to the agency by an Entrustment Agreement. Agency services may include temporary foster care, medical care and treatment of the child (Medicaid) and selection of/placement with an adoptive family (or individual).
For additional information call: Karen Rountree (757) 385-3539