What postadoption services are available? 

Postadoption services, services provided after a child is placed for adoption or after adoption finalization, provide support to adoptive families and may help reduce the likelihood of adoption disruption or dissolution.* Since adoption is governed by State law and policy, the type of postadoption services available to adoptive families varies from State to State. Child Welfare Information Gateway, a service of the Children’s Bureau, provides State-by-State information on the types of postadoption services available to families in the Adoption Assistance by State search on its website a http://www.childwelfare.gov/adoption/adopt_assistance/. Under Postadoption Services, click on question 7, “What types of postadoption services are available in your state and how do I find out more about them?” to view this information for each State.

Information about State postadoption services is often available on State child welfare agency websites. A list of State child welfare agency pages, including links to adoption information, is available through Child Welfare Information Gateway’s related organizations listing, State Child Welfare Agency Websites,available at  http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/reslist/rl_dsp_website.cfm?rs_id=12&rate_chno=AZ-0001E.

Additionally, Child Welfare Information Gateway provides two publications about the range of postadoption services and how to access them: Postadoption Services: A Factsheet for Families at http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/f_postadoption.cfm and Postadoption Services: A Bulletin for Professionals at http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/f_postadoptbulletin/index.cfm. The Postadoption Highlight section of Child Welfare Information Gateway provides further information on this topic at http://www.childwelfare.gov/highlights/postadoption/. You will find resources for families, funding and financial information, and links to relevant research and outcome studies.

*(For more information on adoption disruption and dissolution, see Adoption Disruption and Dissolution: Numbers and Trends at http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/s_disrup.cfm).