New Hampshire foster and adoption guidelines
Interested families should contact the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services for information about adoption and foster care.
On this page:
- State contact information
- Foster and adoption licensing requirements
- Costs to foster and adopt
- Agency contact and orientation information
- Post-adoption support services
- Information on New Hampshire's children
State contact information
Amy Byers
603-271-7318
amy.byers@dhhs.nh.gov
Adopt NH, New Hampshire’s online tool for connecting children and families.
Foster and adoption licensing requirements
Whether you plan to look into adoption or foster care, applicants will need to attend the 21 hour “FACES” training class series and the additional three-hour FACES to Faces Celebration class. Each class is three hours long and offered in the evenings. Sometimes, they are doubled up on Saturdays and occasionally, a daytime class series is offered. View FACES foster parent training information and course schedule.
Adoption qualifications
You could make a wonderful adoptive parent if you:
- Are at least 21 years old
- Are single, married, divorced or widowed
- Own or rent
- Have parenting experience or none at all
- Already have children in your home or not
If you meet these basic qualifications then you're off to a great start!
More foster care and adoption information at Adopt NH.
The foster process in brief
People just like you look into and become foster or adoptive parents every day. When you attend required training classes, you will meet some of these people and hear their stories.
Your foster care worker will help you learn more about fostering and adoption and guide you through the process.
Costs to foster and adopt
None.
You will pay for fingerprinting when you complete your background check, but you will be reimbursed when you become licensed to foster or adopt.
Agency contact and orientation information
For more information, please visit the website of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human services.
Post-adoption support services
See a comprehensive list of post-adoption and guardianship support services and support groups available to families who live in New Hampshire.
Information on New Hampshire's children
As of June 30, 2010, the number of children in out-of-home care was 715 and the number of children waiting to be adopted was 77.
The children in New Hampshire’s public child welfare system range in age from birth to 18.