How to Select and Adopt a Child Through AdoptUSKids

Adopting through AdoptUSKids is different from private infant adoption or international adoption. Most children listed are in U.S. foster care, and many are older youth, sibling groups, or children with special needs. The process is structured, regulated, and centered on the child’s best interests.

Below is a step-by-step guide to how it typically works.

1. Understand What AdoptUSKids Is (and Is Not)

AdoptUSKids is not an adoption agency. It is a federally funded service operated under the U.S. Children’s Bureau to:

• Maintain a national photolisting of waiting children

• Provide information and support to prospective adoptive families

• Connect families with state child welfare agencies

Actual adoptions are handled by a partnership between Nightlight Christian Adoptions and the child’s state or county welfare team (or agency).

2. Become an Approved Adoptive Parent

Before you can be matched with a specific child, you must complete your state’s approval process. This usually includes:

a. Orientation and Application

You attend an informational meeting with your local child welfare agency or a licensed foster/adopt agency.

b. Training

Most states require pre-service training (often 20–30 hours). Training covers:

• Trauma-informed parenting

• Attachment

• Effects of abuse/neglect

• Navigating the child welfare system

c. Background Checks

This includes:

• FBI fingerprinting

• State criminal checks

• Child abuse registry checks

d. Home Study

A social worker conducts interviews and home visits to assess:

• Safety of your home

• Family dynamics

• Parenting readiness

• Preferences regarding age, gender, special needs, etc.

Once completed and approved, you are considered a “waiting family.”

3. Search for Waiting Children

After approval, the search on the AdoptUSKids photolisting database can begin.

Each child’s profile may include:

• Age

• Sibling status

• General personality traits

• Educational needs

• Diagnosed medical or emotional conditions

• State of residence

Profiles are intentionally general to protect privacy. Full case details are not publicly listed.

You can filter by:

• Age range

• State

• Sibling groups

• Special needs

Keep in mind that you will only see the type of information about this child that is appropriate for the public to view.  More sensitive information, like the child's background and health, will be available to Nightlight as we log in. Once you are in the matching phase, we will be able to give you more information.

4. Submit an Inquiry

If you see a child that you feel could be a good fit:

1. With an approved home study, you may create a waiting family profile, inquire on the waiting children

2. Your information is sent to the child’s caseworker.

3. Your home study is reviewed to determine whether you meet the child’s needs.

You may inquire on multiple children, but caseworkers prioritize families whose skills match the child’s needs.  Many people have found that submitting an inquiry on the site on their own is a "black hole" because they never hear back. There are several reasons why you may never hear back:

• County and state social workers are over-loaded with cases
• If the child is relatively healthy and under 8 years old, there are probably dozens, if not hundreds of families interested
• The county or state worker has never navigated the process of placing with a family (like yours) in another state

This is where Nightlight comes in: we advocate for you and we get the attention of the social worker representing that child. We are persistent and they trust us.

5. Matching Process

If the caseworker believes you may be a good fit:

• You receive more detailed, confidential information.

• You may participate in interviews with the child’s team.

• The child’s therapist, foster parent, and professionals may provide input.

For older youth, their consent and preference matter significantly.

Matching is not first-come, first-served. The team selects the family best suited to meet the child’s long-term needs.

6. Pre-Placement Visits

If selected as the prospective adoptive family:

• For out-of-state matches, the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) approval is required and families will need an agency, such as Nightlight, who will assist in the placement.

• Visits gradually increase in length and privacy.

• For out-of-state placements, travel may be required.

This transition phase allows both you and the child to assess compatibility and readiness.

7. Placement

Once everyone agrees:

• The child moves into your home.

• The child remains legally in state custody during a supervision period (often 6 months).

• A social worker conducts post-placement visits.

8. Adoption Finalization

After the supervision period:

• Your attorney (often provided or subsidized) files for adoption.

• A judge finalizes the adoption in court.

• You receive a new birth certificate listing you as the parent(s).

At this point, the child becomes your legal child permanently.

9. Financial Considerations

Adopting from foster care is often low-cost or free. Support may include:

• Adoption assistance (monthly subsidy)

• Medicaid coverage

• Reimbursement of nonrecurring adoption expenses

• College tuition programs in some states

• Eligibility for the Adoption Tax Credit

Children listed on AdoptUSKids are typically eligible for some form of adoption assistance.

10. Important Realities

Children listed through AdoptUSKids often:

• Over age 8

• Part of sibling groups

• Have experienced trauma

• May have behavioral, emotional, or developmental challenges

Adoptive parents should be prepared for:

• Long adjustment periods

• Therapy involvement

• School advocacy

• Trauma-informed parenting approaches

This path can be profoundly meaningful—but it requires resilience and support.

Timeline Overview

While it varies widely:

• Approval process: 3–9 months

• Matching process: Several months to a year

• Post-placement supervision: At least 6 months

Overall, many families spend 1–2 years from starting training to finalization.

Final Thoughts

Adopting through AdoptUSKids is a child-centered process designed to provide permanency to youth who cannot safely return home. The system prioritizes stability and long-term fit over speed.

If you’re considering this path, the best first step is contacting a licensed child placing agency or your local child welfare agency and asking questions. From there, the journey unfolds step by step—guided by professionals whose focus is finding the right family for each waiting child.

Nightlight assists with these adoptions through Anchored in Hope - Adoption from Foster Care - Nightlight