Licensed child placing agencies may also place a child temporarily in a foster home placement. Their primary purpose is the welfare of the child and finding a permanent loving home for that child. Pre-placement services for birth parents begin with a private assessment of the pregnancy and personal circumstances, and plans for the future made with the help of an agency social worker. Pre-placement services for adoptive parents begin with the involvement of adoptive applicants in a process to determine, with the agency, whether they are capable of becoming parents who can meet the needs of an adopted child and what kind of child could benefit from their home and bring them the satisfactions of parenthood.
Programs follow state rules in providing the variety of services they offer.
Programs may offer domestic or may offer international placements. Each program is reviewed annually and is issued an annual license to operate. Any concerns may be expressed to the Licensing Specialist working with these programs. Lists of Licensed Adoption Agencies and Child Placing Agencies that do foster care only are available on request. For information on licensing an Adoption Agency, click here Anyone interested in pursuing a family adoption can find information in the yellow pages under Adoption.