Frequently Asked Questions
Don't see what you are looking for below? Attend an information session to get the inside scoop on adoption from foster care.
Table of Contents
Starting the Process
How long does it take to adopt from foster care?
On average, it takes families between 8 months to one year to complete all the steps to be licensed for adoption through the foster care system.
This includes the application, background checks, initial home visit, MAPP classes, and homestudy. The time it takes to be matched with a child varies greatly depending on the family’s criteria and the needs of our waiting children.
Why does the process take so long?
The process takes time because it includes two stages: (1) Eligibility process, (2)
MAPP training and the Home Study. These steps are crucial to ensuring the
safety and well-being of children who have been neglected and/or abused. The goal
is to prepare families as well as possible to care for and parent these children.
The first step of the process is to obtain a “Family Resource Application” from the
Department of Children and Families (DCF) or one of the contracted agencies. When
your application is processed and backgrounds record checks, and personal and
medical references are completed, a social worker will reach to you to schedule a
home visit to ensure that your home meets the physical safety standards established
by state law. This first eligibility stage might take several weeks.
Once your application is approved and you have had your home safety visit done
you will be invited to a 10-week training known as MAPP (Massachusetts Approach
to Partnership in Parenting). Sometimes families have to wait until a MAPP training
convenient for them is scheduled in their area.
Concurrent with your MAPP training is the Home Study, which is both a process and a document. It involves
a series of home visits and interviews conducted by a social worker who will help the
family with the submission of document and who will produce an extensive
document detailing the family’s composition, background, strengths, and child
interest characteristics. The elaboration of the home study usually takes between 8-
12 weeks.
How much does it cost to adopt from foster care?
There is no cost to adopt from foster care!
Unlike other types of adoption, there are no fees to become licensed to adopt from foster care or to process your adoption. In fact, there are many supports and possible subsidies that you may qualify for as an adoptive family.
What is the difference between DCF and a contracted agency?
The Department of Children and Families (DCF) is the state agency charged with protecting children from abuse and neglect and strengthening families in Massachusetts. While much of DCF’s work is focused on child protective services, they also provide adoption services through the adoption units.
DCF also works with “contracted agencies” to screen potential adoptive families, conduct MAPP trainings and complete family home studies. The requirements, stages, and duration of the licensing process is the same and at no cost whether you work with DCF or one of the contracted agencies. Sometimes families working with DCF are MAPP trained by one of the agencies.
Should I work with DCF or a contracted agency?
This is a matter of personal preference, geographical location, or convenience with the scheduled trainings. It is important to know that all children in foster care with a goal of adoption in Massachusetts are under the custody of the DCF and for that reason families who get licensed through one of the agencies will eventually work with DCF in the matching and finalization stages of the adoption process.
Be diligent in your research as you select an agency to work with. Ask a representative from the office how long it is currently taking for homestudies to be completed. You may also benefit from asking community forums what other foster and adoptive families have experienced in working with a particular office/agency.
Can I talk with someone who has adopted? I need help deciding if this is right for me
The prospect of adopting a child can be both exciting and overwhelming. There are many
different types of adoption and choices to be made in pursuing this path. In addition to that, for many couples and single individuals the decision to create or to grow their family through adoption implies a lot of emotional work. Families in the process of adoption have consistently commented on the tremendous benefit of speaking with experienced adoptive parents. In response, MARE has created the Friend of the Family Program. This program matches experienced adoptive parents with families at all stages in the adoption process to provide ongoing guidance, share their own experiences, and to equip them with resources and services.
This is what one family commented about their experience with this program:
“Having the opportunity to connect with a family who has been where we are, feeling exactly the way we feel, has been a tremendous support.”
Learn more about our mentor program here.
MAPP Training and Homestudy Process
How do I signup for MAPP training?
Families are not able to register for MAPP classes until they have completed the eligibility process. This means completing an application and waiting to be notified by the agency about next steps. When your application is processed and backgrounds record (CORI), and personal and medical references are verified, a social worker will reach to you to schedule a home visit to ensure that your home meets the physical safety standards established by state law. This first eligibility stage might take several weeks or longer in some cases. Once your application is approved and you have had your home safety visit done you will be invited to a 10-week training known as MAPP (Massachusetts Approach to Partnership in Parenting).
Create an account with MARE to learn about the trainings offered by the contracted agencies.
Who offers MAPP Training?
After your initial application has been approved and your home inspection is completed, you will be invited to attend a 10 week course called Massachusetts Approach to Partnership in
Parenting (MAPP) training.
For a comprehensive list of DCF and contracted agencies that offer MAPP training, create a MARE account.
You can view a list of upcoming trainings here.
Does my partner also have to attend MAPP training?
MAPP training is mandatory for the adults who will be the primary care providers of the
child/children placed in your home. This applies to all couples, married or partnered,
who will be parenting the child(ren). If you have difficulties with the hours of the
training you might want to explore the MAPP rolling classes or the intensive 4-5
weekends offered by some agencies.
"Home Inspection" and "Home Study", what's the difference?
Sometimes families get confused about these two different stages of the adoption
process. The home inspection occurs early in the process when a social worker from the
Department of Children and Families or a contracted agency visits your home to verify
that it passes the Physical Standards Check. To learn more about the Standards for
Foster/Pre-Adoptive homes please visit DCF’s website:
https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2017/10/30/EligibilityStandards.pdf
The home study is the final stage of the licensing process and it is both a process and a
document. It involves a series of home visits and interviews conducted by a social
worker who will also request personal references from the family. Once interviews are completed and references are checked, which typically takes 8-12 weeks, the home study is ready to be compiled into an extensive document detailing the family’s composition, background, strengths, and child interest characteristics. This document will help other social workers match children with families that would best meet their needs.
Why is my homestudy taking so long to complete?
We often receive inquiries from families who have finished MAPP training and are excited and eager to move forward but feel impatient because the home study has not been completed.
The caregiver assessment process that happens concurrently with MAPP training involves a detailed home study of your family, created by a social worker. This process involves collecting detailed information from you, multiple home visits, a home study narrative produced by the social worker, and a panel review for final licensure of your family to adopt. This process is intended to be completed within 90 days of beginning MAPP training, but may take longer depending on the staffing levels of the agency you are working with.
Be patient and use this time to begin reading about adoption issues in our Learning Center, participate in webinars and workshops, and get matched with an experienced adoptive family through our Friend of the Family program. We highly recommend signing up for an upcoming training on trauma-informed parenting.
I am already a foster parent. What do I need to do to adopt from foster care?
The first thing you need to do is to contact DCF’s Adoption Development Licensing Unit (ADLU) in your region. There are 5 ADLUs in MA: Springfield, Worcester, Lawrence, Boston, and Brockton. For more info on these locations check this link.
Then, you need to request the ADLU to do a study update as you are currently licensed for
foster care and not for adoption. This update will focus on preparing you to understand what it means to adopt through DCF versus foster care. The area office you are currently working with as a foster family should know about this change as they will need to share their impressions on your experience as a foster family.
Finally, it is possible you may have to attend a couple of MAPP sessions related to legal risk, adoption, and the various services available to you during the matching process and after you are placed with a child or sibling group.
Eligibility
Am I eligible to adopt from foster care?
To be eligible to adopt a child from the Department of Children & Families (DCF) you must meet the following minimum requirements:
• Be a Massachusetts resident 18 years of age or older
• Have a stable source of income
• Rent or own a home that meets DCF’s home safety standards
• Pass a background check
If my CORI background check shows a misdemeanor, am I automatically disqualified from adopting?
All household members age 14 and older will need to have a background check (CORI/SORI) completed. Less serious criminal conduct can usually be waived, but DCF will want to talk through anything that comes up on a person’s background check, whether it is sealed or unsealed. When a “discretionary disqualification” is revealed in a CORI/SORI, the Department will determine the probable effect that the misdemeanor would have on your ability to fulfil the needs of a child placed in your home and will inform you if you are eligible as a pre-adoptive family or not.
Why can't I start the process until I move to my new home/apartment?
The first step of the process to become a pre-adoptive family is the background record (CORI)
check and the physical standards check. A social worker will verify that your home has working
safety equipment, such as working smoke detectors, and that the living and sleeping quarters in your home provide adequate space, privacy, and safety for all family members. If your home does not meet one or more of the standards, you are given time to comply and DCF will do a follow-up visit. If the family is planning to move to a new home, they need to wait until they are in the new place and the social worker completes the safety check.
Does owning a dog disqualify me for adoption?
The Department of Children and Families has a clear policy with regard to regulations and breed restrictions for dogs in pre-adoptive homes. “All dogs maintained on the premises of the pre-adoptive home must have up to date vaccinations and rabies shots, and must be licensed in accordance with local authority requirements.” It also states that “No child under age 12 will be placed in a home where a Rottweiler, Pit Bull or German Shepherd dog, or a dog which mixes at least 2 of these 3 breeds, is maintained on the premises, except after a review conducted in accordance with Regulation 110 CMR 7.105 (18) and with the approval of the Area Director.”
Please check with your social worker to determine if a waiver may be requested.
My home has a pool. Will that cause me to fail the home inspection?
Having a pool in your house will not rule you out as a pre-adoptive family however there are state laws about barriers and protection around pools and hot tubs. Swimming and wading pools must be made inaccessible to children when not in use by means of barriers or fences. Hot tubs must be made inaccessible to children at all times. If a home opens directly into the pool area, the wall of the home is an important part of the pool barrier. Doors to the pool area must be kept locked. In lieu of a fence or wall, a hot tub may be made inaccessible by covering it with a secure, sturdy cover that is held in place with a child-proof lock.
To learn more about safety regulation for pre-adoptive homes please visit https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2017/10/30/EligibilityStandards.pdf.
Can I adopt as a single person?
Yes! Any constellation of one or two parents are wanted and needed as adoptive parents. More than 25% of foster care adoptions across the country in 2017 were by single people. See this link for more information: https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/single-parent/. DCF and MARE fully support single persons as adoptive parents.
I currently live in a one-bedroom apartment, but am hoping to secure a two-bedroom apartment soon. Can I begin the adopting process now?
An individual or couple must have a two-bedroom apartment or house that meets the standards set forth in this document before applying to begin the process. The adoption licensing process involves approving both the prospective adoptive parents and the prospective adoptive home, and one of the first steps is a safety and standard check on the home. You must move into the home with two-bedrooms before you can apply.
What do the guidelines about a home mean when it says a bedroom above the second floor must have two means of egress?
Two means of egress means that a bedroom on the third floor or above must have access to two separate flights of stairs from that floor all the way down to the first floor.
I have a history of mental health issues. Am I allowed to adopt?
DCF has worked successfully with people with a diagnosis as long as their mental health is stable, they are following treatment, and have a backup plan if they were to have a crisis.
I am in the process of getting a divorce and am separated right now. Can I start the process now?
Anyone wishing to adopt from foster care will need to legally finalize the divorce before applying to begin the process. DCF in MA wants any person applying to have finalized any major life changes (marriages, divorces, births, moves, etc.) before beginning the process.
What is the guideline around lead paint in a home?
It is assumed in all older New England homes lead paint was used at some point. However, in the years since lead paint was widely used, most paint has been repainted with non-lead paint or removed. DCF does not ask for any paperwork showing the home has been deleaded. However, if someone knows there is still lead paint in their home DCF cannot place any child under 6 in that home.
I have an H1B visa. Can I adopt from foster care?
A foster/pre-adoptive applicant must be a citizen of the U.S. or have been granted legal permanent resident status, asylum, refugee, or other indefinite legal status by U.S. immigration officials. An H1B or L1 visa is temporary. A prospective adoptive parent needs "indefinite legal status;" usually that is at least a green card (permanent resident).
I want to adopt from foster care, but will likely move out of state in the future. How will that work as many children need to maintain birth family connections?
This would need to be made clear at the beginning of the home study process and in that way your family resource worker will try to match you with a child who requires minimal or no contact with bio/extended family (which puts limits on the pool of children you are able to be matched with). Even if you move, you are required to fulfill court-ordered visitation schedule at your expense. The process could end up taking a year for you to be approved. Once you are placed with a child, that child is still the responsibility of the state and considered a foster child in your home until finalization. Finalization can take anywhere from 6 months (though very rare for it to be that short) to 2+ years – it all depends on the specific situation and how backed up the courts will be. Before finalization you would need to get permission (which is usually granted) to take the child out of state even on vacation. And like any parent of any child, you would need to take into consideration the effects of a move on the child. Children who have experienced many moves in the foster care system often need the stability of not moving again. So if you are planning to move in the next few years, you should wait until you move to the new state before starting the process there.
Out of State
I don't live in Massachusetts, but I plan to move. Can I start the process in the meantime?
No. You need to wait until your residence is in Massachusetts because during the
first stage (eligibility) a social worker will need to make a visit to the home where the
child(ren) will be potentially be placed.
I live in another state. Is it possible for me to adopt a child from Massachusetts?
In order to become an adoptive parent to a child or teen in foster care in the state of Massachusetts, or in any other state, a family must first become licensed for adoption from foster care by an agency in their home state. Once a family has been licensed they are eligible to adopt a child or teen in foster care from anywhere in the United States as long as the child's social worker is considering out of state families.
For information about foster care adoption in your state please go to this link: https://www.adoptuskids.org/adoption-and-foster-care/how-to-adopt-and-foster/state-information, and select your state or territory from the drop down menu underneath the map.
Other Questions
Can I start as a foster parent and later adopt a child placed in my home?
Families approved for foster care may request the DCF’s Adoption Development Licensing Unit that their home study be updated for adoption. However, this doesn’t imply that the children they are providing foster care for are going to have their goal changed to adoption. There are other factors to be considered, for instance, if the children are legally freed for adoption or if the family’s characteristics are what the social worker is looking for the permanency of the children.
Why are some children removed from pre-adoptive families?
Removal of a child from a pre-adoptive family is conducted in a thoughtful, planned manner that minimizes disruption to the child and the pre-adoptive family. Reasons for removal include:
-
A request from the pre-adoptive family to have the child removed
-
A decision by the Department that a more suitable setting is needed to meet the child’s needs for permanency, safety, and/or well-being.
-
A supported 51B investigation in which a pre-adoptive parent or other household member is identified as the person alleged to be responsible for the child abuse or neglect.
What is Open Adoption?
Many of the children waiting for adoption are still at “legal risk” which means that their parent’s legal rights have not been terminated by the court. Others are legally freed.
However, in many cases when a legally freed child is placed and adopted by a family, it is in the best interest on the child to keep a healthy connection to his/her biological family. This type of adoption is known as “Open Adoption.” The Open Adoption agreement is a legally binding document determined by the judge which allows adoptive parents, and often the adopted child, to interact with the child’s birth parents. Openness can vary greatly from family to family and may change over time.
Communication may happen through letters, emails, social media exchanges, telephone calls, or visits. Visitation might take place at visitation centers supervised by a third party social worker. While some families may exchange brief notes and photos, others may spend more time together and celebrate birthdays or holidays together. The frequency of contact will be decided by the judge and can range from one to six visit per year.
How does MARE fit in with DCF and other agencies?
DCF which is the public child welfare agency, MARE is a private organization that provides a unique facilitating role within the Massachusetts adoption community. We are the central clearinghouse for information about adoption from foster care for families in Massachusetts. We collaborate with the Massachusetts Department of Children & Families (DCF) and contracted adoption agencies to connect potential adoptive parents with youth waiting for adoption.
MARE does this by developing public awareness and recruitment programs to inform the public about the children who wait, and who can adopt from foster care. We use these programs to attract potential adoptive families and then help them navigate the adoption process. We also host (now virtual) events for families in MAPP training and beyond to hear about children waiting for adoption and to network with social workers representing those children.
MARE does not do any of the licensing work (application, home study, approval, etc) for families, but we recruit families for adoption, support them through the process, and facilitate the matching process once families have a finished home study. Once you have a completed home study, you can register it with MARE. At that point, the website will be opened to you and you will be able to view children who are legally free for adoption and also those who are at legal risk. At that point you are also able to inquire about specific children and receive more information.