Foster Care Adoption

* Currently in South Dakota and Wyoming *
For a variety of reasons, children are removed from their biological families and placed into foster care. The goal is that they will be reunified with their birth family and the family will be restored. Because we live in a broken and fallen world, this does not always happen. Foster Care Adoption occurs when children are unable to reunite with their birth family and are legally deemed adoptable through the foster care system.

Pre-Apply

400,000+

Children in Foster Care

20,000+

Age Out Every Year

52,560

Number of Children in Group Homes

100,000+

Children Nationwide in Foster Care that Are Legally Adoptable

The Need

Children enter the foster care system through no fault of their own. Often they have been abused, neglected, and/or abandoned. Their birth families will work towards reunification and many, by God’s grace, are successful and the family is restored. For others, reunification is not possible nor in the best interest of the child and therefore the rights of the birth family are terminated and the child(ren) become available for adoption. In the United States, there are 100,000+ children in foster care who are legally free and waiting for a forever family.

The Solution

Mission-minded, gospel-centered families who are willing to care for a child who comes from a hard place. These children do not need perfect parents, but families who know their own need for Jesus and are called to give these children a safe and forever home where they will hear and experience the love of Jesus.

How To Get Started

Pray

We encourage families to set aside intentional time to pray through how God would lead your family.

Learn More

Learn more about the process, waiting, matching, and fees for adopting from foster care.

Adoption Timeline
Connect

Schedule a personal info meeting to get your questions answered and learn more.

Attend an Info Meeting
Apply

Fill out the non-committal application today.

Apply Now

How to Fund Your Adoption

One of the biggest hesitations families express as they approach adoption is the financial cost. Many of the fees associated with Foster Care Adoption could be paid for by the state in which your child is from; however, this is not guaranteed. Therefore, Lifeline lays out the maximum fees to be paid to Lifeline and is also here to support you as you take the next step in faith. There are many scholarships and potential tax credits available. For more help, visit our resources page.

View Resources

ANSWERS TO FOSTER CARE ADOPTION QUESTIONS

Commonly Asked Questions

As you consider adoption, there may be many questions that come to mind. Take a look at some of our commonly asked questions below.

Why do children enter foster care?

The top four reasons that a child is placed in foster care according to Child Protective Services (CPS) are: neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional maltreatment. This can include things like parental incarceration, parental death, parental hospitalization, homelessness, abandonment, and/or addiction. Children are in foster care through no fault of their own.

After you apply, you will have a welcome and orientation call with our Lifeline team. You will then begin the home study process and attend an in-person foster care adoption training. There will be a waiting period during the inquiry and matching phase. After matching, we will continue to provide support. For more details, click here.

A home study consists of several face-to-face interviews where we get to know your family and spend some time in education and preparation for the adoption process. Topics of discussion include your motivation to adopt, your childhood, your current marriage and family dynamics, parenting philosophies, etc. We will also collect supporting documentation including medical forms, background clearances, birth and marriage certificates, etc. There is also an emphasis on adoption education. We spend time discussing your understanding of various topics such as transracial adoption, birth parent ministry, attachment parenting, and more.

This is not an exhaustive list, but includes a few of the necessary qualifications for you to consider regarding foster care adoption:

  • Background clearances
  • Physical exams for household members
  • Affirming references
  • Minimum standards inspection
  • Married for three+ years or single female
  • Prepare and enrich marriage assessment
  • Sufficient income to care for the addition of a child
  • CPR/First Aid Certification
  • Discipline agreement
  • An autobiography
  • 30 hours of pre-education

We offer holistic training and education services to prepare your family to adopt for a lifetime. We offer pre-and post-adoptive support care. Post-adoptive support care consists of visits and phone calls, adoptive parent education monthly webinars, access to our library of educational webinars, counseling, parent coaching, and Bridge Educational Support.