Maine Foster Care and Adoption Guidelines

Things You Should Know

• Foster and Adoption Licensing Requirements
• Costs to Foster and Adopt
• Parent Support Groups
• Agency Contact and Orientation Information
• Information on Maine's Waiting Children

Foster and Adoption Licensing Requirements

You might be a great foster and adoptive parent if:

• You are at least 21 years old
• Your physical and mental health will allow you to care for a child (or children)
• You are able to exercise good judgment in meeting the needs of a child (or children)
• You can provide three references from people who are not related to you
• You can complete fingerprinting to allow the Department of Health and Human Services to submit required fingerprint-based checks to national crime information databases
• You can complete a criminal history background check
• You can complete home visits in which a social worker will meet with you to get to know you and your family
• The place where you live can pass a satisfactory inspection for fire safety and fire protection
• The water in your home can meet state standards
• The place where you live has a telephone

Costs to Foster and Adopt

Adoptive and foster parents will have to pay for the cost of the fingerprinting and whatever their doctor or health plan charges for a medical exam.

If a family adopts a child from foster care in another state, there may be additional fees. Please contact Maine Child and Family Services for more information.

Parent Support Groups

• Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine
  Training and support for families in all phases of the foster care and adoption process.
  Email: affme@aol.com
  Phone: 800-833-9786

• Families and Children Together - Maine Kids-Kin
  Information, a lending library and support for families interested in becoming either foster or adoptive families.
  Contact: Barbara Cates, Director
  Phone: 207-941-2347

More information on family support groups in Maine.

Agency Contact and Orientation Information

The State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services is divided into eight districts. Maine DHHS can complete your homestudy. There are private and nonprofit agencies available, too. Read detailed information on finding an agency. Then, please ask your agency when they are next offering an orientation. Orientations are scheduled as needed based on the number of requests from individuals. Individual orientation is available in most districts.

Information on Maine's Waiting Children

There are about 2,189 children in Maine Department of Health and Human Services custody at this time. Of those children, there are 152 children with the goal of adoption who are awaiting adoptive families. The majority of children are between the ages of eleven and eighteen.