Adoption Agencies in Idaho

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 Idaho (some of what you can and can't do) and then provide you with information on children available for adoption in Idaho.  We then relate how we can assist you during the adoption process, and finally we provide a list of licensed Idaho 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 Idaho 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 Idaho 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. Code § 18-1512A(1)

No person or entity shall publish or broadcast on radio or television an advertisement or notice of a child or children offered or wanted for adoption, or claim through such advertisement to have the ability to place, locate, dispose, or receive a child or children for adoption, unless the person or entity is a duly authorized agent or employee of the Department of Health and Welfare or an institution licensed by the department to care for and place children.
This section is not intended to prohibit:

A licensed attorney from advertising his or her ability to practice or provide services related to the adoption of children
Physicians and other health care providers from assisting or providing natural and adoptive parents with medical care necessary to initiate and complete adoptive placements.

State Regulation of Adoption Expenses
Birth Parent Expenses Allowed
Citation: §§ 16-1515; 18-1511

A person or agency may pay legal and medical costs and reasonable living and maternity expenses during the pregnancy.
A birth parent who revokes a consent to adoption may be required to pay back any expenses paid by the adoptive parent, including medical and living expenses, legal fees, and all other reasonable costs.
The court shall determine the amount of the reimbursement.

Birth Parent Expenses Not Allowed
Citation: § 18-1511

Living expenses are not to extend beyond 6 weeks after the birth, based on demonstrated financial need.
Financial assistance to the birth parent shall not exceed $2,000, unless otherwise authorized by the court.

Allowable Payments for Relinquishing Child
Citation: § 18-1511

It is a felony to sell or barter a child for adoption or other purposes.

Consent to Adoption
Who Must Consent to an Adoption
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 16-1504

Consent to adoption is required from:
Both parents or the surviving parent of a child who was conceived or born within a marriage, unless the child is age 18 or older
The mother of a child born outside of marriage
Any biological parent who has been adjudicated to be the child's biological father by a court of competent jurisdiction prior to the mother's execution of consent
An unmarried biological father who has established paternity of the child
Any legally appointed custodian or guardian of the adoptee
The guardian or conservator of an incapacitated adult, if one has been appointed
The adopted person's spouse, if any
The father of an illegitimate child who has adopted the child by acknowledgment

Age When Consent of Adoptee is Considered or Required
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 16-1504

A child age 12 or older must consent to the adoption, unless he or she lacks the mental capacity to consent.

When Parental Consent is not Needed
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 16-1504(&)

No consent shall be required of, nor notice given to, any person whose parental relationship to such child has been terminated.

Revocation of Consent
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 16-1515

If the parent revokes consent and petitions for custody of the child, the parent must reimburse the adoptive parents for expenses paid.

Rights of Presumed (Putative) Fathers
Registry/Paternity Requirements to Receive Notice
Citation: § 16-1513(1), (2)

May be filed prior to the child's birth, but must be filed prior to placement or the commencement of any proceeding to terminate the parental rights of the birth mother, whichever occurs first
Requires a completed Department of Health and Welfare, Vital Statistics Unit form, signed by the putative father and notarized

Please visit adoption law in Idaho for more details.

Yes, through both public and private adoption agencies.  For example, in 2004, Idaho had 317 children in the welfare system waiting to be adopted of whom 6 were under the age of 1 year, and 99 were between ages 1-5 years old. The actual number of children adopted through Idaho public child welfare agencies was only 176, which represents only a small portion of the total number of all Idaho adoptions (exact numbers are not available at this time). 

Remember that while you may be a resident of Idaho, you are not limited to adopting a child from Idaho.  You can adopt a child born in Idaho, 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 Idaho, 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

A New Beginning Adoption Agency, Inc.
4700 North Cloverdale Road
Suite 204
Boise, ID 83713
Phone: (208) 939-3865
Fax: (208) 939-3869
Toll-Free: (888) 31-ADOPT

CASI Foundation for Children, Inc.
2308 North Cole Road
Suite E
Boise, ID 83704
Phone: (208) 376-0558
Fax: (208) 376-1931
Toll-Free: (800) 376-0558

Idaho Youth Ranch Adoption Services
PO Box 8538
Boise, ID 83704
Phone: (208) 377-2613
Fax: (208) 377-2819

Idaho Youth Ranch Adoptions North
2201 Government Way
Suite J
Coeur D'Alene, ID 83814
Phone: (208) 667-1898