Colorado Foster Care and Adoption Guidelines

Contact Information
Lucretia Miller
303-755-4756, ext. 263
lucretia@adoptex.org

Información en español
The Adoption Exchange
303-755-4756, ext. 300
kids@adoptex.org

Things You Should Know

• Foster and Adoption Licensing Requirements
• Costs to Foster and Adopt
• Agency Contact and Orientation Information
• Parent Support Group Information
• Information about Colorado's Waiting Children
   

Foster and Adoption Licensing Requirements

• Adoption qualifications and process in Colorado
• Foster care qualifications and process in Colorado

Costs to Foster and Adopt

The cost to foster or adopt often depends on the type of child placement agency used. Colorado is an agency state, which means you must use either a private or a county child placement agency. Private child placement agencies provide adoption licensing services for a fee of $1,800 to $3,500. View a list of private child placement agencies in Colorado.

Private placement agencies will place waiting children in the foster care system in an adoptive placement. When contacting private agencies please specify you want to adopt from foster care to ensure you receive the correct information.

The difference between adopting through a private agency and a county agency is primarily cost and the ages of children available for adoption. If you are interested in adopting a child younger than 5 years old, you will likely work with a private agency. You are free to inquire about children from anywhere in the United States once your home study is complete. Your home study is valid for one year.

When working with a private agency you are free to inquire about children from anywhere in the United States once your home study is completed. Your homestudy is valid for one year.

Agency Contact and Orientation Information

If you are new to the adoption process, it is highly recommended that you attend The Adoption Exchange’s adoption information class, which is offered the second Wednesday of every month.

Please note that each County has their own orientation schedule, so please contact your local County to register for orientation.

Para información en español, contacte:

• Arapahoe County
  Veronica Reynoso
  303-734-4354
  
  Ofrecen asistencia en español: Los condados de Arapahoe y Jefferson están reclutando/entrenando a posibles padres de crianza y adoptivos.
   
• Boulder County
  Bonnie Lloyd
  303-441-1431
  
  Ofrecen asistencia en español
   
• Denver County
  Fabiola Esposito
  720-944-2524
  
  Ofrecen asistencia en español: Entrenamiento en español para obtener su licencia para convertirse en una familia de crianza/adoptiva (entrenamiento CORE, grupos de apoyo).
   
• El Paso County
  Robert Villarreal
  719-444-5511
  robertvillarreal@elpasoco.com
  
  Ofrecen asistencia en español: Le enviarán a su familia información de contacto para agencias que usted podrá contactar para recibir su licencia para convertirse en una familia de crianza/adoptiva.
   
• Weld County
  Phyllis Bauman
  970-352-1551, Ext. 6292
  baumanpe@co.weld.co.us
  
  Ofrecen asistencia en español: El condado de Weld proporciona todos los servicios en español, por ejemplo, orientación, la aplicación, entrenamiento, y el estudio del hogar. Estos servicios también incluyen trabajadores sociales de habla hispana y un traductor para las familias.

Parent Support Group Contacts

View a list of parent support groups.

Information on Children

Most of the children in Colorado's public child welfare system range in age from 2 to 18. Abuse, neglect, or other family issues prevent them from living with their birth parents.

Some of these children may be referred to as having "special needs" because they:

• Are 5 years of age or older
• Part of sibling group who must be placed together
• Are African American or Hispanic
• Have developmental disabilities such as Down Syndrome
• Have other physical, mental, or emotional disabilities, including attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

There are 280 children available for adoption in Colorado.