Louisiana Foster Care and Adoption Guidelines

Although you may be a resident of Louisiana, you are not limited to adopting a child from Louisiana. You can adopt a child born in any other U.S. state.

Things You Should Know

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

Licensing Requirements for Foster or Adoption

• You must have adequate bedroom space for a child. A child may share a bedroom with another child of the same sex, but the child cannot share a bedroom with anyone over the age of 18 years old.
• It is important that your home is safe and free of hazards. During the home study process, your home development worker will conduct a safety inspection of your home. You must have working smoke detectors and a fire extinguisher.
• Being a parent can sometimes be demanding. You must be healthy and emotionally stable to care for children. Everyone in your home must provide a medical statement completed by a physician indicating they are free of communicable diseases (i.e., tuberculosis).
• If you have had a valid child protection case, you may not be able to become a foster or adoptive parent. We will review records in Louisiana, as well as any other state where you have resided.
• You do not have to be rich to become a foster or adoptive parent, however, you must have enough income to meet your own family’s needs. During the home study process, you will be asked to provide proof of income and to review family expenses.
• Foster or adoptive parents can be single, married, divorced or widowed.
• If you or any adult residing in your home has been convicted of certain criminal offenses, you cannot become a foster or adoptive parent.

Costs to Foster and Adopt

It does not cost to foster.

Thousands of families adopt for no cost or very little cost. The Office of Community Services (OCS) does not charge fees, but if you choose a private agency, they may charge fees. Call the individual agencies below or contact us to find out more.

Parent Support Groups

• Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans (CCANO)
  Metairie
• F.A.I.R. Visions, Inc. (Foster Adoptive Information Resources)
  Monroe
• Louisiana Adoption Advisory Board, Inc. (LAAB)
  Lafayette
• Louisiana Foster and Adoptive Parent Association
  Baton Rouge
• Natchitoche River
  Provencal
• Pride and Hope Ministry Adoptive Parent Support Group
  Angie

• St. Elizabeth Foundation (SEF)
  Baton Rouge
• Volunteers of America of Greater New Orleans, Inc. - Adoption and Maternity Services
  New Orleans
• Volunteers of America of North Louisiana
  Shreveport

Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway
 

Agency Contact and Orientation Information

Orientation is conducted by the local OCS in each region. Orientations are informational sessions designed to answer the basic questions of prospective parents and to guide them through the process of fostering and adopting. Orientations are held every 21 days. Call your local office to find the next session in your area.

Read a list of Office of Community Services locations.

To learn more about a private agency, including information on their orientations, please contact the individual agencies below:

Information on Louisiana's Waiting Children

There are 4,787 children in foster care in Louisiana; 653 of these children are waiting for adoptive families.