The Adoption Process
If you have an approved adoptive home study, please
register with us. Upon completing your registration you will be able to express any interest you may have in a specific child.
If you do not live in
West Virginia and do not have a completed adoptive
home study, you should visit the National Adoption Center.
The Adoption Process for West Virginia Residents
The West Virginia
Department of Health and Human Resources (WVDHHR) provides home studies for those families who plan to adopt a child who is in Foster Care in West Virginia. Those who are planning to adopt privately or internationally must contract with a private adoption agency to obtain a home study.
If you do not yet have an approved adoptive
home study and you live in West Virginia:
-
Complete and submit the
Foster/Adoptive
Parent Inquiry Form
or
-
Contact your local county Department of
Health and Human Resource office and let them know you are interested in,
and want more information about, becoming an adoptive parent.
-
Potential adoptive parents must attend a
pre-service orientation. This training discusses the responsibilities and
details of becoming a foster or adoptive parent.
-
A family assessment (home study) of the
interested parents is then done. A social worker will interview everyone in
the household. References are contacted and medical reports are reviewed. A
criminal investigation background check is performed on all adults in the
home. A social worker also discusses what type of child the parents could
best provide care for. All information gathered during the assessment is
kept confidential.
-
After the family assessment and training are
completed, the family is notified whether their home was approved for
adoptive children.
