Programs & Initiatives

Considering Adoption?

Adoption: Are you considering adopting a child from foster care? We are here to help guide you, support you and answer questions you have about the process.

Please contact us at 401-865-6000 x313

Adoption from Foster Care

Considering adoption but aren’t sure where or how to begin? Adoption Rhode Island will help you through the process!

Although most are school-age children, generally between the ages of 5 and 18, an increasing number of younger children are coming into care as well. These children deeply want a chance for love in a happy, permanent family setting. We invite married and single adults of any race, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation to apply. Most importantly, we are looking for families that can make a life-long commitment to provide a safe, loving home to a child. There is no cost to adopt any of these children.

Please take a few minutes to listen to Beth Capron, Manager of Adoption & Permanency Services at Adoption RI, to learn more about becoming a pre-adoptive family and the processes that follow.

Step 1

Attend an adoption information meeting. Staff from Adoption Rhode Island and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families will explain the adoption process in detail. You’ll also learn about the children who are waiting to be adopted.

Because of the sensitive subjects discussed in these meetings, we feel that they are not appropriate for children to attend.

Step 2

Enroll in a TIPS-MAPP foster care and adoption training and preparation class.

Classes are designed to:
• Prepare you to parent a child who has been in state care.
• Help you decide what kind of child will best fit into your family.
• Help the home finder (social worker) get to know you better so she/he can make a good match between family and child.

Enrollment opportunities and further information about where and when classes are held will be available at the Information Meeting (see Step One), and/or you can access learn more and complete the required application via the “BINTI” portal accessible at:

Step 3

Background and home safety check.
Criminal and state child welfare background checks are completed. Additionally, your home must comply with all state child safety regulations.

Step 4

Training and home study.
Once your application is approved, you will choose from upcoming available TIPS-MAPP Trainings. Trainings are typically held once a week for ten weeks, however other options may be available from time to time.

After finishing the classes, the home study writer will meet with you in your home one or more times to collect homework and other paperwork from you.

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Information Meetings

    Do you have questions about adopting a child who is in Rhode Island state care? Are you trying to decide whether it’s right for you? Or would you like to get the adoption process underway? If the answer is yes – or even maybe, to any of these questions, we suggest that you come to one of our Information Meetings. These meetings are held once a month and feature presenters from Adoption Rhode Island and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, who will explain the steps of the adoption process and provide an overview of the children waiting to be adopted, and the rewards and challenges involved. There will also be plenty of opportunities to ask questions. Applications to start the adoption process are available at the meeting if you decide you are interested. Families also learn about other routes they can take to become involved in the lives of waiting children.

    In honor of Pride Month, we are holding a special information meeting for anyone wanting to learn more about becoming a parent of a LGBTQ+ youth. This will take place on Thursday, June 29 from 6-8pm at Fellini’s Pizzeria and Cafe in Cranston. A light dinner will be provided.

    To register for any of our Information Meetings, please contact Amanda Choiniere at achoiniere@adoptionri.org Click either image below for a printable flyer of our 2023 Info Meetings.

The meetings are held virtually at no cost*.  An R.S.V.P. to Amanda Choiniere at achoiniere@adoptionri.org is required to receive the Zoom link.
Meetings begin at 6:00 pm

The 2023 schedule is as follows:

PLEASE NOTE: Meetings are held virtually via Zoom until further notice. Please email Amanda Choiniere at achoiniere@adoptionri.org to request the Zoom link prior to the meeting.

PLEASE NOTE: Meetings are held virtually via Zoom until further notice. Please email Amanda Choiniere at achoiniere@adoptionri.org to request the Zoom link prior to the meeting.

PLEASE NOTE: Meetings are held virtually via Zoom until further notice. Please email Amanda Choiniere at achoiniere@adoptionri.org to request the Zoom link prior to the meeting.

PLEASE NOTE: Meetings are held virtually via Zoom until further notice. Please email Amanda Choiniere at achoiniere@adoptionri.org to request the Zoom link prior to the meeting.

*Special in-person meeting at Bristol Parks and Recreation's Quinta-Gamelin Community Center from 6-8pm

PLEASE NOTE: Meetings are held virtually via Zoom until further notice. Please email Amanda Choiniere at achoiniere@adoptionri.org to request the Zoom link prior to the meeting.PLEASE NOTE: Meetings may be cancelled due to inclement weather. If the weather is questionable, please call beforehand, check back here on our website, or watch for a posting on our Facebook Page.

PLEASE NOTE: Meetings are held virtually via Zoom until further notice. Please email Amanda Choiniere at achoiniere@adoptionri.org to request the Zoom link prior to the meeting.

PLEASE NOTE: Meetings are held virtually via Zoom until further notice. Please email Amanda Choiniere at achoiniere@adoptionri.org to request the Zoom link prior to the meeting.

Special Pride Info Meeting for adults interested in learning more about adopting an LGBTQ+ youth. PLEASE NOTE: Meetings may be cancelled due to inclement weather. If the weather is questionable, please call beforehand, check back here on our website, or watch for a posting on our Facebook Page.

PLEASE NOTE: Meetings are held virtually via Zoom until further notice. Please email Amanda Choiniere at achoiniere@adoptionri.org to request the Zoom link prior to the meeting.

PLEASE NOTE: Meetings are held virtually via Zoom until further notice. Please email Amanda Choiniere at achoiniere@adoptionri.org to request the Zoom link prior to the meeting.

PLEASE NOTE: Meetings are held virtually via Zoom until further notice. Please emailAmanda Choiniere at achoiniere@adoptionri.org to request the Zoom link prior to the meeting.

PLEASE NOTE: Meetings are held virtually via Zoom until further notice. Please email Amanda Choiniere at achoiniere@adoptionri.org to request the Zoom link prior to the meeting.

PLEASE NOTE: Meetings may be cancelled due to inclement weather. If the weather is questionable, please call beforehand, check back here on our website, or watch for a posting on our Facebook Page.

PLEASE NOTE: Meetings are held virtually via Zoom until further notice. Please email Amanda Choiniere at achoiniere@adoptionri.org to request the Zoom link prior to the meeting.

Out of State Process

Adoption Rhode Island welcomes families living out of state to be registered with us and be considered for RI youth waiting to be matched with licensed adoptive families.

We can only accept a home study from a licensed child-placing agency adoption or licensing worker, who will need to send the following documents:

In order to have a completed home-study packet the following elements must be included

01

A completed, up-to-date home-study with signatures of the family and agency representative

02

Documentation that background checks have been completed and contain no disqualifying results (this can be indicated in the home-study)

03

Copy of the child placing agency's license to verify they are a licensed child placing agency

04

Agency cover letter, email, or fax cover letter

05

A completed Rhode Island Matching Form Found here

    Once Adoption Rhode Island receives the above documents from the family’s agency, we will email the family a welcome letter. We enjoy meeting all registered families and look forward to getting to know them through virtual Meet & Greet meetings where families learn about the matching process and waiting youth.

    If you are interested in adoption but have not begun the process yet, the first step is to locate an agency in your own state to get a home study. National organizations like the National Adoption Center may be able to help you locate an appropriate agency. Also check our outside Rhode Island links on our Resources page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below is a list of many commonly asked questions about adoption.

Must I be married in order to adopt?

No. Adoptions by single people are on the increase, and some children actually do best with a single parent. Married and single adults from any race, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation are welcomed as adoptive parents.

Are there age requirements for adoptive parents?

In Rhode Island you must be over 21 years of age.

How old are the children available for adoption?

The majority of children Adoption Rhode Island works with are typically of school age, ages 8-18, though occasionally younger children come into care.

What about infants?

It is not often that infants are registered with Adoption Rhode Island. If you are interested in adopting an infant, either domestically or internationally, visit our list of licensed adoption agencies .

Are the children shown on the website the only children waiting for families?

No, the children you’ll meet in our Photo Gallery are children who are seeking adoption or other permanent connections. There are additional children seeking families who have some restrictions around recruitment and whose photos can not be displayed. If you would like more information regarding any of the children waiting for families, please contact our Adoption & Permanency team.

How much does it cost to adopt an older child?

There is no fee to adopt a child in state care through Adoption Rhode Island.
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What kind of income must an adoptive parent have?

There are no income requirements for adoptive families.

Must an adoptive parent be a homeowner?

No, you do not need to own a home. You will however, need to have at least two bedrooms in your home.

What is a home study?

A home study is an official document, written by your home-study writer, about you and your family that legally gives approval for adoption. To be more precise, it’s a series of group and individual meetings between a home-study writer, prospective adoptive parents, and family members. At these meetings you’ll discover the type of child or children that best “matches” you and your lifestyle.

How long will it take?

Once you have been accepted into a training group, the process takes three to five months to complete. The waiting period to be matched with a child can range from a few weeks to a year or two depending on how flexible your expectations are regarding the type and age of child they are willing to consider.

Where are the children while they are waiting to be adopted?

Most of the waiting children are living in foster homes, group homes, and residential treatment facilities.

Learn about our Adoption and Permanency Programs

Adoption Resources and Education

The Adoption Resources and Education program is a contract with the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families to provide a range of recruitment strategies to identify potential families for children in foster care, raise awareness about the needs of children in foster care and assist with matching children and families. Some of the strategies include general, child-focused, child-specific and targeted recruitment strategies, case mining and family search and engagement. Adoption and Permanency Specialists work with children to help prepare them for permanency and promote best practices in adoption. Children are referred to these services by DCYF.

Tuesday’s Child

Tuesday’ Child is an award winning news segment featured on WJAR-Channel 10. Adoption Rhode Island partners with Channel 10 to create and produce features of children waiting to be adopted as well as stories about foster care and adoption. This partnership has provided enormous visibility for children who would otherwise not have a voice. Hundreds of inquiries about a child or the adoption process occur because of the partnership. The segment airs on Tuesdays during noon and 5:30 shows.

Wendy’s Wonderful Kids®

Wendy’s Wonderful Kids is a signature program of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. It is the only evidenced-based model of adoption recruitment in the country.

Adoption Rhode Island’s WWK Recruiters implement this evidenced-based, child-focused recruitment model that is proven to be up to three times more effective at serving children who have been in foster care the longest, including teenagers, sibling groups and children with special needs. In part, due to our staffs’ successful implementation and fidelity to this model, Adoption Rhode Island has more than tripled the size of the RI WWK chapter. For more information about the model click here.

Extreme Family FindingSM

The Extreme Family Finding program is an innovative and promising model that pairs an experienced adoption social worker with a private investigator to identify extended family members for children and youth in foster care. This program is very prescriptive in it’s approach and when implemented to fidelity, is very successful. In less than a year after launching the program, the EFF team has helped to identify hundreds of lost and unknown relatives and other supportive adults for high- need children in the Rhode Island foster care system. Originally funded through the Children’s Bureau as a pilot program, Adoption Rhode Island’s program was one of several programs to offer this model throughout the country. Because of the success, the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families ( RI DCYF) has continued to fund the program and remains a strong and critical partner in achieving the positive outcomes. All referrals for this program come from RI DCYF.

Adoption RI offers an array of counseling services for pre and post adoptive children, teens and families.

For more information