Families adopt children from foster care in one of two ways, either through foster care adoption or “selected home” adoption.

All foster and adoptive placements made by the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) are made with licensed “Resource Families.” In New Jersey, families are dually licensed to provide both foster and adoptive care, and thus the study and licensing process is the same for all resource families. Families can also work with a licensed nonprofit or private agency to adopt.

Foster parents are expected to work with DYFS towards reunification with birth parents or placement with relatives when that is appropriate and receive first consideration as adoptive parents if reunification cannot be accomplished. Many children, especially younger children, who are adopted from foster care in New Jersey are adopted by their foster parents. DYFS continues to have a great need for foster parents for all ages and types of children.

However, not every child in foster care who cannot return home is adopted by foster parents. There is also a great need for adoptive parents, especially for children who are part of a sibling group and/or over the age of six.

If you are interested in becoming a foster parent or a selected home adoptive parent, you will need to complete the homestudy and training process first. While a particular child may be of interest to you, it is not possible to be considered until your homestudy has been completed and licensed (unless you share a kinship relationship with the child).

For residents of other states: The children typically placed for adoption by DYFS are the waiting children who are displayed on www.adoptuskids.org, www.njadopt.org, and the New Jersey Heart Gallery. In order to be considered for one of these children, it is necessary for families to have current, approved and/or licensed adoption home studies.

Contact Information

The New Jersey Adoption Resource Exchange Unit

Peggy Stofik

1-800-281-3005

peggy.stofik@dcf.state.nj.us

beth.watkins@dcf.state.nj.us

deborah.godbolt@dcf.state.nj.us

andrea.mitreuter@dcf.state.nj.us

Para información en español, contacte:

Migna Rosa

1-800-281-3005

migna.rosa@dcf.state.nj.us

Licensing Requirements for Foster or Adoption

Becoming a foster or adoptive parent is easier than you think. You must be 18 years of age and at least 10 years older than any of the children who will be placed with you, able to support yourself and in good physical and emotional health. You can:

• Be married or single
• Be childless or have children
• Work outside the home or stay at home
• Rent or own your house or apartment

Does it Cost to Foster or Adopt?

If you adopt or foster through DFYS, the only cost incurred during a foster or adoptive homestudy is the cost of a medical examination for each family member.

If you adopt or foster through nonprofit or private agencies, they may charge fees. Please ask each agency.

Parent Support Groups

New Jersey Adoption Resource Clearing House (NJARCH)

www.njarch.org

877-4-ARCHNJ or 877-427-2465

warmline@njarch.org

En Español: lalieneacalurosa@njarch.org

Services include:

• Listening with an empathic ear
• Referrals to: support groups, mental health professionals, buddy families, adoption agencies and medical experts
• Lending library
• Training: buddy families, support group leaders and adoption professionals
• Speakers’ Bureau

Agency Contact Information

List of DYFS Offices:

www.state.nj.us/dcf/contact/local.html

List of licensed private adoption agencies:

www.state.nj.us/dcf/divisions/licensing/AdoptionAgency.pdf

Orientation Information

DYFS no longer offers group orientations. However, upon speaking with one of the New Jersey RRTs, families interested in fostering or adopting children from DYFS, will be referred to the Local Office Resource Family Unit in the area where the family resides. The Resource Family Units will arrange for either a personal or group engagement with the family as soon as possible.

Each nonprofit or private agency can decide if they want to offer a group orientation.

During the homestudy process, 27 hours of PRIDE training is also required to prepare families to become foster and/or adoptive parents.

Information on Children

There are 12,042 children in foster care in New Jersey; 4,525 of these children are waiting for adoptive families.

While parenting at any age is challenging, there is nothing more rewarding than knowing that you have been the critical factor in a child becoming a successful adult. What all children, but especially those adopted from foster care, need most is a family who will make an UNCONDITIONAL commitment to them, accepting them, working with them, advocating for them and most of all, sticking by them—no matter what!