If you’re considering adopting through one of the foster care agencies in Kentucky, it’s important to understand how foster care and foster care adoption work.

This guide will examine what foster care agencies in Kentucky do and compare their work to other types of adoption agencies that operate in the state.

If you know you’d like to adopt through American Adoptions, you can call 1-800-ADOPTION or fill out our free online form. But, if you want to learn more about your adoption options, continue reading.

What is Foster Care Agencies in Kentucky?

More commonly known as public adoption agencies, foster care agencies in Kentucky help the state’s foster care system process foster care adoptions.

These state adoption agencies in Kentucky do the following:

• Help foster parents adopt the children in their care
• Help hopeful adoptive families adopt children in foster care available for adoption

It’s important to understand that the foster care system’s primary goal is not to place children in foster care for adoption. It’s to reunify these children with their parents.

The following are just a few foster care agencies in Kentucky you could choose to work with:

• KY Adoption
• KVC Kentucky
• DCCH Center for Children and Families
• St. Joseph’s
• SAFY of Kentucky
• Sunrise Children Services
• Necco
• The Omni Family of Services

How Does Foster Care Adoption Work?

When a child is placed in foster care, it’s because the courts have determined that the child’s birth parents cannot safely care for them for a period of time. The court will create a reunification plan that the child’s biological parents will need to meet to regain custody. If the child’s parents cannot fulfill the plan, their child will be placed for adoption.

In general, children in foster care and whose adoptions are handled by foster care agencies in Kentucky have experienced:

• Physical abuse
• Neglect
• Parental substance abuse
• And more

No child is placed in foster care because of something they have done. If you want to become a foster parent or adopt a child in foster care, you must be prepared to care for all of a child’s emotional and practical needs.

What Types of People Adopt From Foster Care Adoption Agencies in Kentucky?

Hopeful adoptive parents who want to adoption from local foster care agencies in Kentucky typically want to:

• Adopt the child or children in their care once the courts determine that reunification is not possible.
• Adopt older children or are open to adopting sibling groups.
• Adopt through the foster care system because they cannot afford private domestic adoption.

Remember: When you become a foster parent, it’s not guaranteed that you can adopt your foster child through a public adoption agency in Kentucky. You must be prepared for your foster child to return to live with their biological parents at any point.

Other Types of Adoption Agencies That can Help Facilitate Adoption

If you aren’t sure that adopting through a foster care provider in Kentucky is right for your situation, you also can adopt through another type of adoption agency.

Domestic Adoption Agencies

Domestic adoption agencies, also known as infant adoption agencies or private adoption agencies, are very different from foster care agencies in Kentucky.

Private adoption agencies help hopeful adoptive families adopt infants born in the United States. Women experiencing an unplanned pregnancy voluntarily choose to place their babies for adoption. People can choose to work with local and national domestic adoption agencies.

American Adoptions is a national private domestic adoption agency that helps hopeful adoptive families adopt infants. Our agency has over 30 years of experience and ensures that hopeful adoptive families:

• Get to work with a licensed adoption specialist who can help you determine the type of adoption you want and provide 24/7 support.
• Receive financial protection through the Risk-Sharing Program if adoption disruption occurs.
• Experience a more predictable wait time and get accurate adoption fee estimates.

International Adoption Agencies

Unlike public adoption agencies in Kentucky, international adoption agencies help hopeful adoptive families adopt children from other countries. Before you decide to pursue international adoption, it’s important to know that this process can be unpredictable and often quite expensive.

Next Steps for Adoption in Kentucky

If you’ve weighted your adoption options and have determined that foster care adoption through foster care agencies in Kentucky isn’t right for your situation, you may consider working with a domestic adoption agency like American Adoptions. If you want to find out more about how our adoption agency can help you on your adoption journey, call 1-800-ADOPTION to get free information.

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