North Carolina Foster Care and
Adoption Guidelines

North Carolina Division of Health and Human Services improves outcomes for the children of North Carolina. We do this by acting as an advocate for the children and families we serve. We invite you to contact us with any questions you may have regarding foster or adopting in North Carolina. We are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.

You may qualify to become a foster or adoptive parent if:

• You are interested in providing a safe and loving home to a child
• You have patience and wisdom to share
• You are willing to learn about fostering or adoption  

Contact Information

• North Carolina Division of Health and Human Services
  Contact: Korri Mosley, BA
  Email (Correo Electrónico): korri.mosley@dhhs.nc.gov
  Alternate Email: nc.kids@dhhs.nc.gov
  Phone (Teléfono): 919-334-1144
  Toll-Free Phone: 877-625-4371
  Fax: 888-625-4376
  Address: 325 N. Salisbury Street, 2445 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-2411

Things You Should Know

• Foster Care and Adoption Licensing Requirements
• Costs to Foster and Adopt
• Agency Contact and Orientation Information
• Parent Support Groups
• Information on North Carolina's Waiting Children
• Upcoming Events

Foster Care and Adoption Licensing Requirements

Foster or adoptive parents must be ready to give a child or children opportunities to develop to their full potential – physically, academically, socially, and emotionally – with realistic expectations and unconditional support and love. That is the most important requirement.

Adoption Requirements:

• You must be at least 18 to become an adoptive parent.
• You can adopt if you are single, married, divorced or widowed; own or rent; have parenting experience or none at all; already have children in your home or not.
• Adoptive applicants will be finger printed and have a criminal record check completed
• While State law does not specify the number of training hours to become an adoptive parent, most adoption agencies provide training to those who want to be foster or adoptive parents.

Please visit our website for more information about adoption.

Foster Care Requirements:

• The minimum age to become a foster parent is 21.
• You can foster if you are single, married, divorced or widowed; own or rent; have parenting experience or none at all; already have children in your home or not.
• Like adoptive applicants, foster applicants will also be finger printed and have a criminal record check completed.
• You will need to complete all required training and be licensed as a foster parent. To do this, you will attend 30 hours of preparatory training called Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting and Group Preparation and Selection (MAPP/GPS). Many other families, like yourself, will also participate in the classes, and you will be able to learn from each others’ experiences.

To find out more on how to become a licensed foster parent call 877-625-4371 or view more foster care information.

Foster Care and Adoption Costs

You can work with your county department of social services or a licensed private agency to foster or adopt for free.

Some private agencies not under contract with the State of North Carolina may charge a fee for their services.

To learn which private agencies are under contract with the State of North Carolina, please contact us at 877-625-4371 or nc.kids@dhhs.nc.gov.

Agency Contact and Orientation Information

Once the County location of your family is determined, NC Kids will provide you with a list of private agencies that contract with the State of North Carolina, as well as the contact person at your local county department of social services.

Each County department of social services and private agency has their own orientation schedule. You can contact your local County Department of Social Services to inquire about their orientation session.

There are five private adoption agencies that currently contract with the state of North Carolina in providing adoption services to families interested in adopting children from foster care. These agencies include the following:

View a list of Licensed Private Child-Placing Agencies that provide adoption services in North Carolina.

View a list of Licensed Private Child-Placing Agencies that provide foster care in North Carolina.

Parent Support Groups

• North Carolina Foster and Adoptive Parent Association

NCFAPA is a statewide organization of adoptive, foster and kinship parents, child welfare professionals, and child advocates who promote quality foster and adoptive services through collaborative advocacy, education, resources, and networking.

• Family Resource Centers (FRC)

Family Resource Centers are a community-based, centralized source for family support services provided through information and referral, on-site programming, or home-based strategies. Services established at the centers target families and children from birth through elementary school-aged and are provided for all family members. Examples of service models may include parent education, after-school programs, and information and referrals services. Contact your local County Department of Social Services to locate a FRC in your area.

• Family Support Network (FSN-NC)

The FSN locations across the state provide support and information to families caring for children with special needs and for those individuals serving families. Phone: 800-852-0042

Post-adoption Services

The agencies listed below are available to provide specialized support services to address the needs of children adopted through the foster care system and their adoptive families. For additional information, please contact the agencies directly.

• Children’s Home Society
  Toll-Free Phone: 800-632-1400.
• Another Choice for Black Children
  Toll-Free Phone: 800-774-3534.
• Barium Springs
  Phone: 828-236-2877.

Please check with your local county department of social services for a listing of local and area support groups.

Information on Children

The children in foster care are from all walks of life and range from young children to young adults. Of the thousands of children in foster care, approximately half are placed in foster homes. The rest of the children live with relatives or are placed in group homes. Most will return to their birth families, but about one-third of them will not, and, once their birth parents’ rights are terminated, they will need adoptive families.

The majority of children who already need an adoptive family are school-aged children or sibling groups who need to be placed together in a family.

Upcoming Events

Please call or email us for more information about events. Phone: 877-625-4371.