Adoption Agencies in Connecticut

If you are a pregnant woman or birth mother please click here to see information that is geared to your needs. 

If you are an adopting family we believe you will find the information below helpful. We begin by giving you information regarding child adoption law in Connecticut (some of what you can and can't do) and then provide you with information on children available for adoption in Connecticut.  We then relate how we can assist you during the adoption process, and finally we provide a list of licensed Connecticut adoption agencies through which you can browse for additional information.

Before starting to search for a child to adopt or an agency to assist you, it is important that you understand how the adoption laws in Connecticut may affect your decisions. Making informed decisions is the best way of increasing your chances of adopting a child.  By way of example, we have listed below a few of the important parts of Connecticut child adoption law including such topics as advertising, adoption expenses, and the critical issue of ending the biological parental rights (called a Consent, Relinquishment or Surrender).

Use of Advertising in Adoptive Placements
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 45a-728d

Any birth parent may advertise through any public media in this State for the placement of his or her child for the purposes of adoption.
Any prospective adoptive parent may advertise through any public media in this State for placement of a child into his or her care for the purpose of adoption.

State Regulation of Adoption Expenses
Birth Parent Expenses Allowed
Citation: §§ 45a-728; 45a-728c

Counseling for the birth mother, including transportation
Birth mother's living expenses
Reasonable telephone costs
Reasonable maternity clothing expenses

Birth Parent Expenses Not Allowed
Citation: § 45a-728c

Payment to the birth mother for living expenses shall not exceed $1,500, unless approved in unusual circumstances by the court.

Consent to Adoption
Who Must Consent to an Adoption
Citation: Gen. Stat. §§ 45a-724; 45a-715

The following persons may give a child in adoption:
A statutory parent
Any parent of a minor child who agrees in writing with his or her spouse that the spouse shall adopt or join in the adoption of the child if that parent is:
The surviving parent if the other parent has died
The mother of a child born out of wedlock, provided that if there is a putative father who has been notified and the rights of the putative father have been terminated
A former single person who adopted a child and thereafter married
The sole guardian of the child, if the parental rights, if any, of any person other than the parties to such agreement have been terminated
Any parent of a minor child who agrees in writing with the other person who shares parental responsibility for the child that the other person shall adopt or join in the adoption of the child, if the parental rights, if any, of any other person other than the parties to such agreement have been terminated
For any minor child who is free for adoption, the child's guardian who agrees in writing with a relative that the relative shall adopt the child
A parent who is a minor shall have the right to consent to termination of parental rights, and such consent shall not be voidable by reason of such minority. A guardian ad litem shall be appointed by the court to assure that such minor parent is giving an informed and voluntary consent.

Age When Consent of Adoptee is Considered or Required
Citation: Gen. Stat. § 45a-724

A child age 12 or older must consent to the adoption.

When Parental Consent is not Needed
Citation: Gen. Stat. § 45a-717(g)

Consent of the parents is not needed if parental rights have been involuntarily terminated because the parent has:

Abandoned the child by failing to maintain a reasonable degree of interest, concern, or responsibility as to the welfare of the child
Subjected the child to sexual molestation and exploitation, severe physical abuse, or a pattern of abuse
Failed to establish an ongoing parent-child relationship with the child
Been found by the court to have neglected the child in a prior proceeding, or whose child has been in the custody of the commissioner for at least 15 months and has failed to achieve such degree of personal rehabilitation as would encourage the belief that, within a reasonable time, considering the age and needs of the child, such parent could assume a responsible position in the life of the child
Had his or her parental rights in regard to another child previously terminated
Killed through a deliberate, nonaccidental act another child of the parent or has requested, commanded, importuned, attempted, conspired, or solicited such killing or has committed an assault, through a deliberate, nonaccidental act that resulted in serious bodily injury of another child of the parent
Been convicted as an adult or a delinquent by a court of competent jurisdiction of sexual assault resulting in the conception of a child

When Consent Can Be Executed
Citation: Gen. Stat. § 45a-715(d)

No consent to termination by a mother shall be executed within 48 hours immediately after the birth of her child.

Revocation of Consent
Citation: Gen. Stat. § 45a-719

The court may grant a motion to open or set aside a judgment terminating parental rights or may grant a petition for a new trial on the issue of the termination of parental rights, provided the court shall consider the best interest of the child. No such motion or petition may be granted if a final decree of adoption has been issued prior to the filing of any such motion or petition.

Rights of Presumed (Putative) Fathers
Registry/Paternity Requirements to Receive Notice
Citation: §§ 46b-172a; 45a-716

Any person claiming to be the father may file at any time, but no later than 60 days after the date of notice of termination proceedings.
The claimant may complete a form provided by the probate court.
Notice of termination proceeding is given if the claimant:
Has been adjudicated the father
Has acknowledged in writing to be the father
Has contributed regularly to the child's support
Is named as the father on the child's birth certificate
Has filed a claim for paternity
Is named in the termination petition as the father of the child by the mother

Please visit adoption law in Connecticut for more details.

Connecticut 46 527  1,481 Connecticut 349
Yes, through both public and private adoption agencies.  For example, in 2004, Connecticut had 1,481 children in the welfare system waiting to be adopted of whom 46 were under the age of 1 year, and 527 were between ages 1-5 years old. The actual number of children adopted through Connecticut public child welfare agencies was only 349, which represents only a small portion of the total number of all Connecticut adoptions (exact numbers are not available at this time). 

Remember that while you may be a resident of Connecticut, you are not limited to adopting a child from Connecticut.  You can adopt a child born in Connecticut, a child born in any other U.S. state, or even a foreign born child.  What is important for you to understand is that infants and children are available for adoption in Connecticut, in each of the other the 49 states, and in many foreign countries. 

Yes, we can help you and so can any licensed child adoption agency (we have listed several below).  By way of introduction to Adoption Services, Inc, I will relate to you a little about myself and our child adoption agency.

Almost 40 years ago I (Dr. Vince Berger) began working as a psychologist with pregnant teens in the Pittsburgh city school system. It was very challenging because in those days there were very few services for these young women, society was not yet accepting of unmarried and/or pregnant teens, and the word "adoption" was hardly ever used.

I loved the work I was doing and knowing that I was personally able to help so many of the pregnant women I was working with. But something was missing - I did not feel I was helping people enough. So, I set out to provide the personal and professional care that a birth mother and adopting family need and deserve in the adoption process.

I started a full service, non-profit adoption agency. Not just any agency, but one that was, and still is, dedicated to helping birth parents and adopting families receive the best and most comprehensive of adoption related services. Over the past 20 years, my staff and I have helped over 9,000 adopting families, birth parents, their babies and children.

I love helping people. I work 6 days a week and answer calls at all hours. The hours I put in are long but never hard, since I find so much joy and strength in helping others.

My goal continues to be to help you. Accordingly, in addition to the website you are on now and the Adoption Services website, we created Adopting Family Resources and International Adoption Help as well as Child Adoption Laws and Child Adoption Resources and Pregnancy And Children to give you a information and help.

I hope that you will call me or my staff so we can help you in the adoption process. However, if you don't want to call us, then please review the agencies listed here and give one of them a call. Do not give up until you get the help and attention you need and deserve.

Thank you for letting us help, and good luck.

Dr. Berger
and the staff of Adoption Services

Boys Village Youth and Family Services, Inc.
528 Wheelers Farm Road
Milford, CT 06460
Phone: (203) 877-0300
Fax: (203) 876-0076
Toll-Free: (888) 922-5528

Casey Family Services
789 Reservoir Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06606
Phone: (203) 372-3722
Fax: (203) 372-3558

Casey Family Services
43 Woodland Street
Hartford, CT 06105
Phone: (860) 727-1030
Fax: (860) 727-9355

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Norwich
331 Main Street
Norwich, CT 06360
Phone: (860) 889-8346
Fax: (860) 889-2658

Catholic Charities, Catholic Family Services Archdiocese of Hartford
2433 Main Street, Suite 6
Rocky Hill, CT 06067
Phone: (860) 257-4335
Fax: (860) 286-2800
Toll-Free: (888) 227-3390

Catholic Charities, Waterbury District Office
56 Church Street
Waterbury, CT 06702
Phone: (203) 755-1196
Fax: (203) 575-9675
Toll-Free: (800) 252-0991

Child Adoption Resource Association
2 Union Plaza   Suite 300
New London, CT  06320
Phone: (860) 444-0553
Toll Free: (888) 220-4644

Children's Center
1400 Whitney Avenue
Hamden, CT 06514
Phone: (203) 248-2116
Fax: (203) 786-6408

Community Residences, Inc.
732 West Street
Suite 2
Southington, CT
Phone: (860) 621-7600
Fax: (860) 621-5117
Toll-Free: (888) 737-7775

Connection, Inc.
955 South Main Street
Middletown, CT 06457
Phone: (860) 343-5500
Fax: (860) 343-5517

Devereux Foundation
81 Sabbady Lane
Washington, CT 06793
Phone: (860) 868-7377
Fax: (860) 868-7894

Downey Side
34 Connecticut Boulevard
Suite 7
East Hartford, CT 06108-3014
Phone: (860) 289-0708
Fax: (860) 289-0710
Toll-Free: (800) US-Child

Family and Children's Agency Inc. (FCA)
151 New Park Avenue
Suite 14
Hartford, CT 06106
Phone: (203) 855-8765
Fax: (203) 838-3325
Toll-Free: (800) 676-4066

Family and Children's Agency, Inc. (FCA)
9 Mott Avenue
Norwalk, CT 06850
Phone: (203) 855-8765
Fax: (203) 838-3325
Toll-Free: (800) 676-4066

Healing the Children Northeast, Inc.
219 Kent Road, Suite 20
P.O. Box 129
New Milford, CT 06776
Phone: (860) 355-1828
Fax: (860) 350-6634

Institute of Professional Practice, Inc. (IPP)
1764 Litchfield Turnpike
Woodbridge, CT 06525
Phone: (203) 389-6956
Fax: (203) 392-2113
Toll-Free: (888) 968-4489

Jewish Family Services Inc.
2370 Park Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06604
Phone: (203) 366-5438
Fax: (203) 366-1580

Klingberg Family Centers, Inc. (KFC)
370 Linwood Street
New Britain, CT 06052
Phone: (860) 224-9113
Fax: (860) 826-1739
Toll-Free: (888) 224-9113

Lutheran Social Services of New England (LSSNE)
2139 Silas Deane Highway, Suite 201
Rocky Hill, CT 06067
Phone: (860) 257-9899
Fax: (860) 257-0340
Toll-Free: (800) 286-9889

New Opportunities for Waterbury, Inc.
232 North Elm Street
Waterbury, CT 06702
Phone: (203) 575-9799
Fax: (203) 755-8254

North American Family Institute - Connecticut
4 Forest Park Drive
Farmington, CT 06032
Phone: (860) 284-1177
Fax: (860) 284-1125

Thursday's Child, Inc.
227 Tunxis Avenue
Bloomfield, CT 06002
Phone: (860) 242-5941
Fax: (860) 243-9898

Village for Families and Children, Inc.
331 Wethersfield Avenue
Hartford, CT 06114
Phone: (860) 297-0555
Fax: (860) 296-7370

Wheeler Clinic, Inc.
91 Northwest Drive
Plainville, CT 06062
Phone: (888) 793-3500
Toll-Free: (800) 793-3588