Because American Adoptions is a private domestic adoption agency, we are not affiliated with foster care in North Dakota. If, however, foster parenting or adopting from foster care interests you, we want to encourage you to look more into it. As with every type of adoption, knowing how a foster care adoption in North Dakota works may help you and your family in your decision-making process. With that in mind, then, we’ve gathered some information you’ll need if you do decide to adopt from foster care in North Dakota.

How do you complete a foster care adoption in North Dakota?

 It’s important to remember that every adoption situation is different, and therefore the following outline is fairly generalized. However, to complete a foster adoption in North Dakota, it will look something like this:

Step 1: Decide what facet of the foster care system interests you: Foster parenting or adopting an older child from the foster care system. When a couple becomes foster parents, they provide a temporary home to a child in need while that child’s biological parents work on regaining custody. The goal of the foster care system is always to reunite a child with their biological family when possible. If, however, the biological parents have already lost their rights, you can adopt from foster care in North Dakota. Some parents choose to foster to adopt, which means they foster parent in the hopes that a child will become legally free for permanent adoption, but this is never a guarantee.

Step 2: Contact a foster agency in your county to begin the process. In North Dakota, some private adoption agencies work with the AASK, or Adults Adopting Special Kids, program to facilitate foster care adoptions. To learn more, contact an AASK representative in your area.

Step 3: Complete the necessary parenting classes. Typically, these will be either PS-MAPP (Permanence and Safety-Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting) or PRIDE (Parent Resources for Information Development and Education) classes, although this will depend on the specific foster care agency you decide to work with.

Step 4: Complete an application to either foster parent or adopt from foster care. In this application, you will provide information about yourselves, your home, and your decision to either foster parent or adopt. In your application, you’ll also indicate what you’re comfortable with in terms of adoption situations, such as special needs or the ages of children you’re willing to take in.

Step 5: Complete an adoption home study. This process is the same regardless of what type of adoption you pursue in North Dakota.

Step 6: Wait for a child to be placed with you. This may happen immediately or it may take some time, depending on how flexible you were with your adoption preferences. If you are adopting from foster care, you’ll then attend a finalization hearing so a judge can grant your final decree of adoption.

Who can adopt a foster child in North Dakota?

North Dakota has no age limit for adoption, and only asks that those who foster parent or adopt from foster care be able to provide a safe and secure home for a child. Foster parents can be:

• Single or married
• Childless or already parenting other kids
• Divorced or with a history of counseling
• Home owners or renters

You don’t have to be perfect to be a good parent!

How much does it cost to adopt from foster care in North Dakota?

One benefit to adopting from the foster care system is that it’s affordable. It’s always smart to plan for expenses like medical exams or court proceedings, but in general, those costs typically will not exceed $300. You should also speak with your foster agency to learn whether or not they charge for their services.

Foster Children for Adoption in North Dakota

Right now, there are 1,364 children in North Dakota’s foster care system, and 341 of them are legally available for adoption. To learn more about foster care in your county, use this map to find your local provider.

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