Adoption in Fairfax county

Become an adoptive parents for children with special needs — children with emotional, mental or physical challenges...siblings who need to stay together...school-age children and adolescents...and minority and bi-racial children. Children with special needs are eligible for a subsidy and for ongoing support from our department.

We also find adoptive homes for African-American and bi-racial children. Most of these waiting children are between 9 and 16 years old.

Adoptive parents may be married, single or divorced. Many start out as foster parents. Prospective adoptive families pursuing an approved home study through Fairfax County do not have to live in Fairfax County but must reside in Virginia. We provide support services to prospective adoptive parents and post-adoption support to adoptive parents.

Join us at our informational meetings ...

Adoption and Foster Care
Orientation Meetings
2nd Monday of each month
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Human Services Center, Pennino Building
12011 Government Center Parkway
Fairfax, Virginia
No registration required
For more information: 703-324-7639

Married couples or single persons* who are at least 21 and in good health, and who can provide a stable and loving home for a child are eligible to adopt through our Adoption Program.

Prospective adoptive parents participate in a home study process, which includes group training on the adoption experience. The goal is to help participants learn more about the issues facing adoptive parents and to determine whether adoption is right for them.

Prospective adoptive families must attend foster/adoptive parent training, complete child protective services and criminal record clearances, provide certain verifications and undergo a medical/physical examination.

The home study also includes individual interviews, feedback from references, an assessment of the family’s financial stability, and serveral home visits.

Most children available for adoption through our program have been removed from their families because of abuse or neglect. The majority are school-aged and have special needs. Currently, these children are in foster care.

Many adoptable children are considered to have special needs because they:

• are school-aged or older;
• are part of a sibling group;
• have special physical, mental or emotional needs;
• or belong to a minority race or are of mixed racial heritage.

These children most often are eligible for financial assistance and support services.

Individuals must be at least 21 years old.

No. The only requirement is that a prospective adoptive family has income sufficient to meet its own needs.

There is no fee for adoption services related to children in the department’s custody. There may be minimal legal costs.

Those requesting home studies for non-agency or private adoptions or post-placement services and court reports for foreign adoptions pay a fee determined by the Virginia Department of Social Services based on income. The family is responsible for all legal or court costs of these non-agency adoptions.

Foster care is the temporary placing of a child outside the child’s home. This may occur as a result of abuse, neglect or other circumstances that put the child at risk, or when parents decide they cannot care for their child. During this time, family problems are addressed so that the child can return home safely, or plans are made for permanent placement of the child outside his or her birth family.

Adoption meets the needs of children for permanent families.