Children’s Bureau/ACYF/ACF/HHS

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BULLETIN FOR 

PROFESSIONALS

March 2016

Working With Military 

Families as They Pursue 

Adoption

WHAT’S INSIDE

Benefits of military 

families as adoptive 

resources for children

Potential challenges and 

solutions in working with 

military families 

Military resources that 

assist adoptive families 

Organizations with 

resources to support 

military families 

Adoption is a great way to build a family, and 

military families can be excellent resources for 

children in need of permanent homes. However, 

the adoption process can be challenging at 

times for any prospective adoptive family, 

and military families may face special 

circumstances not experienced by civilian 

prospective adoptive families. Adoption workers 

must understand the unique benefits and 

challenges of working with military families 

(including those living temporarily outside 

the United States) and familiarize themselves 

with the resources available both inside and 

outside the military support structure.
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This publication is available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/militarybulletin/.

Benefits of Using Military Families as 

Adoptive Resources for Children

For active military couples, military life and deployment 

may strain relationships in areas like adjusting to life 

before and after deployments, handling finances, 

parenting (especially if one or both parents is deployed 

outside the United States), and coping with long 

separations. However, the reality is that children and 

youth in military families generally fare as well as those 

in civilian families. Military families can make excellent 

adoptive families because they have experience with 

adaptation and flexibility, may encounter and/or live 

among a range of diverse cultures, and have access to a 

number of support services and military benefits.

For a comprehensive view of what military families 

face in considering adoption, read Answering 

the Call: Wherever My Family Is: That’s Home!

from AdoptUSKids at http://www.adoptuskids.

org/_assets/files/NRCRRFAP/resources/wherevermy-family-is-thats-home.pdf. In addition to 

resources and other information, this booklet 

lists and refutes a number of myths having to do 

with military life or other characteristics that may 

prevent workers from viewing military families as 

good potential adoptive families.

Structure and Flexibility

Military families receive training and support in how to be 

flexible and organized through multiple moves and how 

to maintain family stability during periods of adversity and 

separation. They are accustomed to a structured lifestyle 

and experienced in adjusting to new surroundings, 

building new connections, and supporting each other 

all over the world. Children and youth in military families 

often benefit from this combination of structure and 

flexibility and develop these skills too.

Military Support Networks

Military installations have built-in support networks 

for military families, including substantial health-care 

and housing benefits and “ready-made” communities. 

More benefits for adoptive families include adoption 

reimbursements, Exceptional Family Member Program 

(EFMP) for children (as well as adult family members) with 

particular medical and/or educational needs, and New 

Parent Support Programs on many installations. (See 

page 4 for more information about military supports for 

families.)

Considerations for Children Who 

Have Experienced Trauma

Many children and youth who are adopted—

particularly those adopted internationally or from 

the U.S. foster care system—have experienced 

some form of trauma. When finding homes 

for these children, it is especially important to 

consider the individual needs of each child or 

youth when determining whether a specific 

military family is a good fit. Some aspects of 

military life, such as the potential stress and 

uncertainty of a parent’s deployment or frequent 

moves, may prove challenging for some children. 

However, the structure that many military families 

can provide, as well as the support services and 

other military benefits they receive during periods 

of change, may more than offset these potential 

challenges for many children.

For more information and resources about 

working with children who have experienced 

trauma, see the Trauma-Informed Practice section 

of the Information Gateway website at https://

www.childwelfare.gov/topics/responding/trauma/. 

Information Gateway also offers a factsheet for 

families, Parenting a Child Who Has Experienced 

Trauma, that may be helpful and is available at 

https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/

child-trauma/.
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This publication is available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/militarybulletin/.

Potential Challenges and Solutions in 

Working With Military Families

Most of the challenges of working with military families 

center on the fact that these families are sometimes 

subject to frequent moves and/or deployment, or one 

parent is deployed frequently or for longer periods of 

time.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS)

If a family has already started the process of adoption 

and receives orders for a PCS, the family may be able 

to have their home study documents transferred to an 

agency near the new home or installation. However, many 

agencies require a new home study using their own forms 

and protocols. Home study requirements also vary from 

State to State, and a family’s home study will have to 

reflect the conditions of their new home State. 

Nonprofit agencies that can help workers and U.S. military 

service members with adoptions outside of the United 

States include:

 The International Social Service has social workers 

in 140 of the countries where the United States has 

military installations, Visit their website at 

www.iss-usa.org. 

 Adopt Abroad has representatives in Europe, Japan, 

Korea, and the Middle East. Visit their website at 

http://adopt-abroad.com.

 VIDA (Voice for International Development and 

Adoption) is a not-for-profit agency with programs that 

span four continents. Visit their website at 

www.vidaadoptions.org. 

Deployment

In the case of deployment, it is most likely that only the 

active military member of the family will be required to 

be out of the area. Families that are close to finalizing 

an adoption may request a deployment deferment or 

extension of assignment. This deferment is available for 

single parents or one member of a military couple and is 

more likely to be granted once a child has been placed in 

the home.

A deploying military family member will need to grant 

power of attorney to his or her spouse (or another family 

member, in the case of a single parent adoption), and 

more information about power of attorney is available on 

the Military OneSource website at http://www.

militaryonesource.mil/legal?content_id=269356. The 

spouse or family member should also have a mailing 

address for the military member during deployment, as 

well as a method for reaching him or her in an emergency. 

It is a good idea for the military parent to keep his or her 

command informed about the adoption process to 

facilitate timely completion and delivery of essential 

documents.

When working with military families, it is important to be 

aware of the emotional cycle of deployment. Families 

experience common emotional stages around a family 

member’s deployment that may include denial, 

detachment, anger, and worry (predeployment); 

disorganization and stabilization (during deployment); and 

apprehension, conflict, and renegotiation of roles (upon 

return). Adoption workers who are knowledgeable about 

the military experience are more likely to view these 

stages as normal parts of a military family’s life, rather 

than as signs of dysfunction.1

1 Virginia Department of Social Services. (2009). Strengthening military 

families. Virginia Child Protection Newsletter, 86.

The Interstate Compact on the Placement of 

Children (ICPC)

The ICPC establishes procedures for ensuring the safety 

and stability of placements across State lines and applies 

when a child travels from one State to another for the 

purpose of adoption. All 50 States, the District of 

Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have signed this 

agreement, which requires an application for approval 

before a child can be transferred into the receiving State 

for placement. Parties must comply with the law of the 

sending State (the State where the child originated) 

before the sending State’s ICPC office will approve the 

child’s transfer. Also, home studies in the receiving State, 

where the family resides, cannot be initiated until ICPC 

receives the request from the sending State and gives 
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permission to initiate the study. For more information on 

interjurisdictional placement, visit https://www.

childwelfare.gov/topics/permanency/interjurisdictional/

icpc/. 

The Association of Administrators of the Interstate 

Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance 

(AAICAMA) officials will look at the State where the 

adoption is finalized to determine the appropriate 

receiving State (e.g., if a family is adopting a child from 

Kansas but is finalizing its adoption in Virginia, an ICPC 

referral would be necessary from Kansas to file in Virginia). 

For military families stationed overseas, ICPC may not 

apply. Find out about specific States at http://icpc.

aphsa.org/content/APHSA/en/resources/LINKS/STATE_

CONTACTS.html. 

Successful recruitment campaigns and adoption 

processes with military families depend on cooperative 

relationships among military services and agency 

personnel. Adoption workers need to understand and 

respect the military command structure and lifestyle, and 

military personnel may need to learn about the adoption 

process. 

Finding Solutions to Challenges

Some strategies that adoption workers have used to 

overcome potential barriers to adoption by military 

families include the following:

 Being aware of their own cultural, racial, social class, or 

other biases, or myths about military families, as they 

pertain to adoption

 Learning the cultural standards, protocols, and 

communication styles of military personnel to better 

appreciate the unique culture of many military families

 Developing collaborative relationships with 

military personnel on installations (e.g., social 

workers, chaplains), and providing training, when 

needed, to encourage their help with recruiting 

families, completing home studies, and conducting 

postplacement follow-up visits for families stationed 

overseas

 Maintaining a positive and creative attitude to help 

military families believe that most barriers to adoption 

they encounter can be overcome

 Offering flexibility in scheduling education sessions 

and home studies 

 Providing the final court hearing by telephone after 

completing postplacement services

Military Resources That Assist 

Adoptive Families

Adoption professionals can help families draw on 

the resources available to military families. To find an 

overview of adoption benefits and allowances offered 

by the Department of Defense (DoD), visit the Military 

OneSource website at http://www.militaryonesource.mil/

taxes?content_id=267085. 

These benefits and allowances include the following:

Financial Assistance

Military family members are eligible for reimbursement 

of some adoption expenses. DoD’s updated Adoption 

Reimbursement Policy (Instruction 1341.9) describes the 

policy and responsibilities for the reimbursement. Up to 

$2,000 per child (but no more than $5,000 per calendar 

year) can be reimbursed for qualifying expenses. This 

benefit is available to military families whose adoptions 

were arranged by a qualified adoption agency and is paid 

after the adoption is complete. Find more information at 

http://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/payentitlements/

adoptionreimbursement.html.

Military families are also eligible for the same adoption 

tax credit that is available to civilian families. For more 

information, go to the Information Gateway webpage 

that lists grants, loans, and tax credits for adoption at 

https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/adoption/adoptive/

expenses/grants-loans/.
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This publication is available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/militarybulletin/.

Medical Care, Benefits, and Eligibility

Health care benefits for military family members are 

provided under TRICARE. Family members select a 

primary care manager (PCM) and must obtain referrals for 

specialty care. At some installations, family members must 

select a military treatment facility for a PCM. Some of 

these facilities are full service hospitals, and others 

operate more like clinics. At other locations, a PCM may 

be selected at a civilian medical facility. 

An adopted child, including a child placed in the home of 

a service member by a placement agency, is eligible for 

benefits after the child is enrolled in the Defense 

Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) 

(800.538.9552).

Specific information about access and eligibility is 

available by calling the DoD Worldwide TRICARE 

Information Center at 888.363.2273 and online at http://

www.tricare.mil/.

Leave

Service members may receive up to 21 days of 

nonchargeable leave following an adoption. This leave 

must be approved by the service member’s supervisor 

and is dependent upon mission requirements and other 

circumstances. For dual-military couples who adopt a 

child, this leave may be authorized for only one service 

member.

Family Services

Adoption Specialty Consultations are available to 

active duty, National Guard, or reserve service members 

through Military OneSource. Adoption consultants answer 

questions specific to military services and benefits and 

help families find adoption agencies and support groups. 

Find more information at http://www.militaryonesource.

mil/parenting/adoption?content_id=273295

Military and Family Support Centers are located on 

most major military installations and provide military 

families with information about adoption reimbursements 

and other familial benefits. Each branch of the service has 

a different name for these centers. Assistance locating 

installation program and services nearby can be obtained 

by calling Military OneSource at 800.342.9647 or by 

accessing the installation program directory at http://

www.militaryonesource.mil/.

Affordable child development programs provide 

child care at many DoD locations. The DoD requires the 

centers and family child care homes to provide highquality services that are consistent from one installation 

to another, although not all services are available at all 

installations. More information is available on the Military 

OneSource website at http://www.militaryonesource.mil/

cyt/leaders?Content_id=271919

Family Advocacy Programs exist in each branch of 

the military. These programs provide individual and 

family counseling services for military families. Most 

of the programs are focused on preventing spousal 

and child abuse and developing a healthy lifestyle. 

New Parent Support Programs at some installations 

are one component of the Family Advocacy Program. 

DoD Instruction No. 6400-05 and the Military 

OneSource website provide more information at 

www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/640005p.

pdf and at http://www.militaryonesource.mil/

phases-military-leadership?content_id=266712. 

The Exceptional Family Member Program enables 

military families to have a family member’s special medical 

and/or educational needs taken into consideration during 

the assignment coordination process (for transfer or PCS 

orders). In addition, each installation has EFMP family 

support personnel in the family center to assist families 

with information and referral about local resources both 

on the installation and in the community. However, while 

an effort is made to accommodate any special needs a 

family may have, depending on the military mission, it 

cannot be guaranteed that those needs will be met. 
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This publication is available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/militarybulletin/.

It should be noted that the military defines “special 

needs” to mean “physical or mental disabilities or severe 

illness.” This differs from what some States may refer to 

as “children with special needs” with regard to adoption, 

which may be more broadly defined to include children 

who may be healthy but are older than 3 to 8 years, 

members of sibling groups, or children of color. 

Not all countries and military bases support adoption 

of children with special medical and/or educational 

needs. More details about the Exceptional Family 

Member Program are provided on the Military 

OneSource website at http://www.militaryonesource.mil/

efmp?content_id=271240. 

Organizations With Resources to 

Support Military Families

AdoptUSKids

The Children’s Bureau funds AdoptUSKids, a 

comprehensive, multifaceted project that includes an 

online photolisting service providing pictures and brief 

descriptions of U.S. children in foster care waiting for 

families, as well as a registry of waiting families. For 

answers to questions about adoption and the military, 

go to 

www.adoptuskids.org/resourcecenter/rrtpackets/military.

aspx. 

Association of Administrators of the Interstate 

Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance 

(AAICAMA)

www.aaicama.org/cms

AAICAMA is a source of technical and legal assistance, 

training, and information on interstate and intrastate 

adoption. The website was created to help State and 

local agency adoption professionals work effectively with 

families who have adoption assistance agreements and 

move from one State to another. 

The Association of Administrators of the Interstate 

Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC)

http://icpc.aphsa.org/content/AAICPC/en/home.html

ICPC is a membership organization that does not work 

directly with families. From its website, caseworkers can 

access names and contact information of the compact 

administrators who facilitate activities and placements 

under ICPC in their States.

Intercountry Adoption, U.S. Department of State 

www.adoption.state.gov 

The Office of Children’s Issues formulates, develops, and 

coordinates policies and programs and provides direction 

to Foreign Service posts on intercountry adoption. 

Caseworkers can refer families to the website, which 

offers notices, alerts, statistics, and information about the 

Hague Convention and visas.

International Social Service (ISS), United States of 

America Branch, Inc. 

http://iss-usa.org/ 

ISS is a network of social workers in 146 countries. It 

is a nonsectarian, nonprofit agency that expedites 

sociolegal communication among social service agencies 

internationally. Services include arranging home studies 

and home study certifications, background checks, 

repatriations, and more. On this website, social work 

professionals can find out if ISS can serve a family in a 

particular country.

Military OneSource

http://www.militaryonesource.mil/ or 800.342.9647 

Military OneSource is a confidential DoD-funded program 

providing comprehensive information on every aspect 

of military life at no cost to active duty, National Guard, 

and reserve members and their families. It includes 

information about deployment, reunion, relationships, 

parenting and childhood services, and more. 

National Military Family Association (NMFA)

NMFA is dedicated to identifying and resolving issues 

of concern to military families through education, 

information, and advocacy. For information on benefits for 

adoption reimbursement and health care, visit 

http://www.militaryfamily.org/info-resources/adoption.

html. 
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U.S. Department of Justice, Citizenship and 

Immigration Services (USCIS) 

www.uscis.gov

USCIS administers the nation’s immigration laws, including 

laws about adoption from foreign countries. Its website 

provides a list of USCIS offices, online forms, and answers 

to frequently asked questions about adoption.

For the latest resources in adoption issues 

that apply to military families, visit Child 

Welfare Information Gateway at https://www.

childwelfare.gov/topics/adoption/adoptive/

adoption-by-family-type/military-families/.

Suggested Citation

Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2016). Working with 

military families as they pursue adoption. Washington, 

DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 

Children’s Bureau.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

Administration for Children and Families 

Administration on Children, Youth and Families 

Children’s Bureau