How much does it cost to adopt an older child?
There is no fee to adopt a child in state care.The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is a public agency and offers its services free of charge. Furthermore, some children in DCYF care are eligible to receive subsidies until they are 18 or 21, depending on their needs.

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, and you are not required to provide a separate room for the adopted child.

What is a homestudy?
A homestudy is a series of group and individual meetings with a social worker in which you will learn about the kind of child you might best parent. In this group, the agency will also learn about you and your lifestyle so that the child/ren eventually placed with you will be a good match. The social worker will then write an official document about your family that legally approves you to adopt a child; this document is also called a homestudy.

How long will it take?
Once you have been accepted into a homestudy group (see STEP THREE above), the process takes 3 to 5 months to complete. The waiting period to be matched with a child can range from a few weeks to a year or two; families who are most flexible about the type and age of child they are willing to consider are matched with children the fastest.

Where are the children while they're waiting to be adopted?
Most of the waiting children are living in foster homes, group homes, and residential treatment facilities.

What about infants?
The children in state care are usually school age. If you are interested in adopting an infant, either domestically or internationally, visit our list of licensed adoption agencies in Rhode Island. Adopting an infant often involves a long wait and considerable fees.