Adoption Agencies in Nebraska

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 Nebraska (some of what you can and can't do) and then provide you with information on children available for adoption in Nebraska.  We then relate how we can assist you during the adoption process, and finally we provide a list of licensed Nebraska 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 Nebraska 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 Nebraska child adoption law including such topics as advertising, use of adoption facilitators and the critical issue of ending the biological parental rights (called a Consent, Relinquishment or Surrender).

Use of Advertising and Facilitators in Adoptive Placements
Use of Advertisement
Citation: Rev. Stat. § 43-701

Except as otherwise provided in the Nebraska Indian Child Welfare Act, no person, other than a parent, shall advertise a child for placement unless such person shall be duly licensed by the Department of Health and Human Services under such rules and regulations as the department shall prescribe.

Use of Intermediaries/Facilitators
Citation: Rev. Stat. § 43-701

Except as otherwise provided in the Nebraska Indian Child Welfare Act, no person, other than a parent, shall place, assist in placing, or give the care and custody of any child to any person or association for adoption or otherwise, unless such person shall be duly licensed by the Department of Health and Human Services under such rules and regulations as the department shall prescribe.

Consent to Adoption
Who Must Consent to an Adoption
Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 43-104; 43-105

Except as otherwise provided in the Nebraska Indian Child Welfare Act, no adoption shall be decreed unless written consents are executed by:
Any district court, county court, or separate juvenile court having jurisdiction of the custody of a minor child by virtue of proceedings that occurred in any court in Nebraska or by virtue of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act
Both parents of a child born in lawful wedlock, if living
The surviving parent of a child born in lawful wedlock
The mother of a child born out of wedlock
Both the mother and father of a child born out of wedlock as determined pursuant to §§ 43-104.08 to 43-104.24
If consent is not required of both parents for the reasons listed below, substitute consents shall be filed as follows:

Consent to the adoption of a minor child who has been committed to the Department of Health and Human Services may be given by the department or its duly authorized agent.
When a parent has relinquished a minor child for adoption to any child-placing agency licensed or approved by the department, consent to the adoption of such child may be given by such agency.
In all other cases, consent shall be given by the guardian or guardian ad litem of the minor child.

Age When Consent of Adoptee is Considered or Required
Citation: Rev. Stat. § 43-104

A written consent must be executed by the minor child, if over age 14, or the adult child.

When Parental Consent is not Needed
Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 43-104; 43-105

Consent shall not be required of any parent who:
Has relinquished the child for adoption by a written instrument
Has abandoned the child for at least 6 months immediately prior to the filing of the adoption petition
Has been deprived of his or her parental rights to such child by the order of any court of competent jurisdiction
Is incapable of consenting

When Consent Can Be Executed
Citation: Rev. Stat. § 43-104

A written consent or relinquishment for adoption shall not be valid unless signed at least 48 hours after the birth of the child.

Rights of Presumed (Putative) Fathers
Registry/Paternity Requirements to Receive Notice
Citation: § 43-104.02

The putative father may file within 5 business days after the child's birth, within 5 business days after receipt of notice of adoption proceedings, or within 5 business days after the last date of any published notice, whichever is later.
The putative father must complete a Department of Health and Human Services F

Please visit adoption law in Nebraska for more details

Yes, through both public and private adoption agencies.  For example, in 2004, Nebraska had 925 children in the welfare system waiting to be adopted of whom 13 were under the age of 1 year, and 321 were between ages 1-5 years old. The actual number of children adopted through Nebraska public child welfare agencies was only 367, which represents only a small portion of the total number of all Nebraska adoptions (exact numbers are not available at this time). 

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

Adoption Links Worldwide (ALW)
5017 Leavenworth Street
Omaha, NE 68106
Phone: (402) 556-2367
Fax: (402) 556-2401
Toll-Free: (800) 66-CHILD

Catholic Charities
3300 North 60th Street
Omaha, NE 68104
Phone: (402) 554-0520

Child Saving Institute
115 South 46th Street
Omaha, NE 68132
Phone: (402) 553-6000
Fax: (402) 553-2428
Toll-Free: (888) 588-6003

Holt International
Omaha, Nebraska
Phone: (402) 661-7100

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