Adoption Services
"It was a big decision to take the step toward
foster care. Lilliput provided excellent training and support
to walk us through the process. We were matched with
siblings- a brother and sister. After being their foster parents
for several months, we learned that we could adopt them. Lilliput
helped us all prepare for adoption. The process was much
easier than we thought. Thank you, Lilliput!" --Lilliput
foster/adoptive parent
"We must work tirelessly to make sure that every boy and girl in America who is up for
adoption has a family waiting to reach him or her…This is a season of miracles, and
perhaps there is no greater miracle than finding a loving home for a child who needs
one." – Bill Clinton
|
|
What is Adoption?
Adoption is the legal transfer of parental rights from one
parent to another. Adoption is the most permanent type of family for a child
who cannot live with their birth parents. Sometimes adoptive parents have no
blood relationship to the child, and sometimes they are relatives (such as
grandparents, aunt and uncles) or are close to the child or child’s birth
family such as Godparents, neighbors or church members (kinship adoption).
 The
National Adoption Month article to the left contains a lot of very
interesting information about Adoption. It has stories, statistics,
and useful information!
|
Who are the Children?
 Children who are adopted through Lilliput are in foster care and are in
need of a permanent family. The courts have determined that the
children cannot return safely to their birth parents. As a result, an adoptive
family is needed.
Lilliput places children of all ages. The children are considered to have
special needs based on at least one of the following:
- Three years of age or older
- Minority ethnicity
- Part of a sibling group
- Physical or emotional challenges
- Adverse parental background
Often, children are placed into Lilliput certified foster families before
they are available for adoption. These children may still be actively
visiting with their birth parents or other relatives as part of the
reunification plan to safely return home. Foster children are not considered
for adoption until efforts to help a child return to his or her birth parents
or extended family members have been exhausted. Upon termination of
reunification services, the juvenile court may then order adoption for a
child. It is best for foster children to be placed with resource/foster
families who will also commit to adoption if the child becomes adoptable.
This results in fewer moves for children while they are in foster care.
What is the need?
In California there are over 50,000 foster children who are waiting for
adoption. Last year, less than 8,000 of these children found a family,
leaving thousands more lingering in foster care. These children are at risk of
“aging out” of the system at age 18 without a permanent home. Families are
urgently needed for these children.
If you are able to open up your heart and home to a school age child or sibling
group, we urgently need you.
Steps to Becoming an Adoptive Parent at Lilliput:
Lilliput offers three distinct types of adoption programs:
- Adoption from Foster Care
- If you are interested in adopting from the
foster care system, call the phone number at the bottom of this web
page or contact the Lilliput office closest
to you. Or you can email us at
Adoption@Lilliput.org
- You will be invited to a local orientation meeting.
- "What is Orientation?" Orientation is
a casual, informational meeting with other interested families. Here
you will learn about Lilliput, our philosophy and the foster and
adoption process. You will have a chance to ask questions.
Orientations are held regularly at most of our office locations.
- If you decide to pursue foster or adoptive parenting with Lilliput,
a social worker will walk you through the process. See the
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) for specific
details about adoptive parenting with Lilliput.
- Conversion or Kinship Adoption:
- Lilliput provides adoption home studies for families who are
interested in adopting a foster child or a relative’s child already in
their care. These families are either:
- County licensed foster families,
- Certified foster families with another private agency,
- Or a caregiver who is caring for a grandchild or another family
member’s child who is in foster care.
- If you are interested in having Lilliput do your adoption home
study, call the phone number at the bottom of this web page or contact
the Lilliput office closest to you. Or
you can email us at
Adoption@Lilliput.org
- Home Studies for Private Adoptions:
- Lilliput is licensed to do adoption home studies for private
domestic adoptions. If you are working with a licensed agency or
adoption attorney and need an adoption home study or post-placement
supervision services, please call (925) 370-3100
or you can email us at
Adoption.Home.Studies@Lilliput.org
|