Adopting in Oregon

Families who want to adopt a child in Oregon can get information by visiting the online web site for Oregon's Department of Human Services (DHS), the division of Children, Adults and Families (CAF) or a licensed private adoption agency.

DHS can help potential adoptive family who want to adopt an older child. It is very rare for DHS to have infants available for adoption. The children that are available have been victims of abuse or neglect and their family's parental rights have either been relinquished or terminated. Many of the children have special needs that range from being placed as a sibling group, being of a minority heritage, being older or having disabilities. Families that adopt a child with special needs, can usually receive an adoption subsidy to help finalize the adoption and also help care for the child in the future. DHS does not charge adoption fees.

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There are many families who want to adopt an infant or a younger child. An adoption agency can help them find a child by looking for a birth mother who plans to make an adoption plan for her child. There are times that agencies have infants who need to find an adoptive home immediately, however, the wait for a referral is usually a lengthy one. Individuals who choose to grow their family through the use of an adoption agency need to realize that the referral they receive may be for an infant who has not been born yet. This means that the parents have not yet relinquished their rights. There is always the possibility that they can change their mind and decide to parent the child.

Agencies can also help families find children who are orphans in other countries. This is called International Adoption. Children who qualify for International Adoption from other countries must be classified as an orphan by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS). Families, who adopt internationally, will need to complete all the required paperwork, before they can be assigned a child and get approved for a travel date to visit the child. The fees to adopt a child internationally can be expensive. They include agency fees, home study fees, U.S. Government fees, foreign fees, cost of travel and legal fees for the re-adoption process.

Back to the main Oregon Adoption page.