American Adoptions specializes in domestic infant adoption in New Hampshire and isn’t able to provide New Hampshire foster care adoption services. However, adopting a child from foster care is a wonderful way to welcome children into your family, so we’re here to help provide information that can teach you more about foster care adoption in New Hampshire.

In 2010, there were 715 children living in foster care situations and 77 children were waiting to be adopted from foster care in New Hampshire.

Although most children in NH foster care will be reunited with their biological family members, some children will not be able to do so, and they’ll become legally available for foster care adoption in New Hampshire. Many of those children are part of a sibling group, are older, or have additional needs, which made returning to their previous situation more difficult.

As you continue, you can always reach out to one of our professionals online or by calling 1-800-ADOPTION to get more information about infant adoption and foster care adoption.

3 Ways You Can Get Involved with New Hampshire Foster Care

There are several ways that you can get involved with foster care in NH:

1. Become a Foster Parent

When you’re a licensed foster parent, you provide a temporary safe home for children who are waiting for a more permanent placement situation, either with their biological family or with an adoptive family.

2. Foster to Adopt in New Hampshire

As a foster parent, you could choose to adopt a child that you’ve been fostering if that child should become legally eligible for adoption. This is what’s called foster to adopt in New Hampshire. Although most children in NH foster care will never become available for foster care adoption, if this does happen, his or her foster parents can be considered as an option for permanent placement if they choose to foster to adopt.

3. Adopting from Foster Care in New Hampshire

Becoming a foster parent isn’t a necessary step if you already know that you want to adopt from foster care in New Hampshire. Instead, you can request to be matched with children who are already legally eligible for New Hampshire foster care adoption and who are currently waiting to be adopted.

New Hampshire Foster Care Subsidies

You may be eligible to receive New Hampshire adoption assistance if you foster to adopt or adopt through foster care in New Hampshire. A New Hampshire adoption subsidy can help offset the costs of caring for the new child(ren) in your life. The amount of assistance that you might receive would vary based on the needs of the child(ren) you foster or adopt.

Who Can Foster to Adopt or Adopt through Foster Care in New Hampshire?

To qualify to adopt a child from foster care in New Hampshire, a prospective foster/adoptive parent must:

• Be at least 21 years old.

• Complete the 24 hours of Foster & Adoptive Care Essentials (FACES) training courses.

• Complete the home study process with a DCYF worker, including background checks on all household members over the age of 17.

• Provide at least five references for adoption.

• Submit health records.

Individual foster care agencies in NH may also have their own set of requirements that prospective adoptive and foster parents must meet in addition to those listed above, so contact your foster care agency to learn more about their requirements.

Who Can Be Adopted from Foster Care in New Hampshire?

For a child to be considered eligible for adoption from foster care in New Hampshire, their biological parents must first terminate their legal parental rights, either voluntarily or involuntarily if the court determines that the parents have failed to meet the required steps needed to regain custody of the child.

When a child turns 18, they “age out” of New Hampshire foster care, but they may still be adopted by former foster parents who want them to become a legal and permanent member of their family through the adult adoption process.

Resources and New Hampshire Foster Care Adoption Agencies

If you want to learn more about foster care and adoption in New Hampshire or if you’re ready to get started, contact the following foster care adoption agencies and New Hampshire adoption photolisting sites for more information:

• New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Division for Children, Youth & Families

• New Hampshire Foster and Adoptive Parent Association

• New Hampshire adoption photolisting ‘Home at Last’

• A Family for Every Child’s New Hampshire adoption photolisting site

• Ascentria Care Alliance

Contact your foster care professional to learn more about foster care adoption in New Hampshire.

Disclaimer
Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. American Adoptions provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.