Adoption Agencies in Pennsylvania

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

Use of Intermediaries/Facilitators in Adoptive Placements
Citation: Cons. Stat. Tit. 23, §§ 2102; 2530; 2533

An ''intermediary'' is a person or agency acting between the parent or parents and proposed adoptive parent or parents in arranging an adoptive placement. No intermediary shall place a child with a prospective adoptive parent unless there is a favorable home study that has been completed within 3 years and supplemented within 1 year.

If the home study has not been completed, the child may be placed with the prospective adoptive parent if the intermediary has no reason to believe that the parent would not receive a favorable recommendation, the agency conducting the home study assents to the interim placement, and the intermediary notifies the court.

Within 6 months of filing the report of intention to adopt, the intermediary shall make a written report, to include:

Family background information about the child
Name and address of the intermediary
An itemized accounting of moneys and considerations paid or to be received by the intermediary or any other person
Only the following payments to an intermediary are permitted:

To reimburse medical and hospital expenses of the birth mother for prenatal care and hospital expenses of mother and child incident to the birth
Medical, hospital, and foster care expenses of the child prior to adoption
Reasonable expenses for counseling and training services provided to the adoptive parents, or for home studies or investigations
Reasonable administrative expenses incurred by the agency, including overhead costs and attorney fees

State Regulation of Adoption Expenses
Birth Parent Expenses Allowed
Citation: 23 Pa. § 2533(d)

Medical and hospital costs
Foster care expenses
Adjustment counseling
Training services

Birth Parent Expenses Not Allowed
Citation: 23 Pa. § 2533(c)

The court may provide appropriate relief when it finds the expenses reported are excessive.

Allowable Payments for Arranging Adoption
Citation: 18 Pa. § 4305

It is unlawful to trade, barter, buy, sell, or deal in infant children.

Allowable Payments for Relinquishing Child
Citation: 18 Pa. § 4305

It is unlawful to trade, barter, buy, sell, or deal in infant children.

Accounting of Expenses Required by Court
Citation: 23 Pa. § 2533 (b)(8)

The intermediary's written report to the court shall include an itemized accounting of all monies paid, agreed to be paid, or received in connection with the adoption.

Consent to Adoption
Who Must Consent to an Adoption
Citation: Cons. Stat. Ch. 23 § 2711

Consent to an adoption shall be required of the following:
The spouse of the adopting parent, unless he or she joins in the adoption petition
The parents or surviving parent of a child who has not reached age 18
The guardian of an incapacitated person to be adopted
The guardian or custodian of a child under age 18, whenever the child has no parent whose consent is required
The consent of the husband of the mother shall not be necessary if it is proved to the satisfaction of the court that the husband of the natural mother is not the natural father of the child.

Age When Consent of Adoptee is Considered or Required
Citation: Cons. Stat. Ch. 23 § 2711

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

When Parental Consent is not Needed
Citation: Cons. Stat. Ch. 23 §§ 2713; 2714; 2511

The consent of the parent is not required when:

The person to be adopted is age 18 or older.
The child is under age 18 and has no parent living whose consent is required.
The parental rights of the parent have been terminated.
The court finds that grounds exist for involuntary termination under § 2511.
The rights of a parent in regard to a child may be terminated when the parent:

Has refused or failed to perform parental duties
Has harmed the child through repeated and continued incapacity, abuse, or neglect
Is the presumptive but not the natural father of the child
Is unknown or cannot be found and does not claim the child within 3 months after the child is found
Has a child in out-of-home care and cannot or will not remedy those conditions that led to the removal or placement of the child within a reasonable period of time
In the case of a newborn child, knows or has reason to know of the child's birth, does not reside with the child, has not married the child's other parent, and has failed for a period of 4 months to make reasonable efforts to maintain substantial and continuing contact with the child or to support the child
Is the father of a child conceived as a result of a rape or incest
Has been convicted of criminal homicide or aggravated assault, and the victim was a child of the parent

When Consent Can Be Executed
Citation: Cons. Stat. Ch. 23 § 2711

No consent shall be valid if it was executed prior to or within 72 hours after the birth of the child. A putative father may execute consent at any time after receiving notice of the expected or actual birth of the child.

Revocation of Consent
Citation: Cons. Stat. Ch. 23 § 2711

The revocation of a consent shall be in writing and shall be served upon the agency or adult to whom the child was relinquished. The following apply:

For a consent executed by a birth father or a putative father, the consent is irrevocable more than 30 days after the birth of the child or the execution of the consent, whichever occurs later.
For a consent executed by a birth mother, the consent is irrevocable more than 30 days after the execution of the consent.
An individual who executed a consent to an adoption may challenge the validity of the consent only by filing a petition alleging fraud or duress within the earlier of the following timeframes:

60 days after the birth of the child or the execution of the consent, whichever occurs later
30 days after the entry of the adoption decree
A consent to an adoption may be invalidated only if the alleged fraud or duress is proven by:

A preponderance of the evidence in the case of consent by a person age 21 or younger
Clear and convincing evidence in all other cases

Rights of Presumed (Putative) Fathers
Registry/Paternity Requirements to Receive Notice
Citation: 23 Pa. §§ 2513; 5103

At least 10 days notice of a termination proceeding shall be given to the putative father if he has filed a claim of paternity prior to the institution of proceedings.
The putative father of the child must complete Department of Public Welfare form.
If the mother's consent is not given, the putative father is entitled only to notice of termination proceedings.

Please visit adoption law in Pennsylvania for more details.

Yes, through both public and private adoption agencies.  For example, in 2004, Pennsylvania had 4,041 children in the welfare system waiting to be adopted of whom 110 were under the age of 1 year, and 1,338 were between ages 1-5 years old. The actual number of children adopted through Pennsylvania public child welfare agencies was only 1,898, which represents only a small portion of the total number of all Pennsylvania adoptions (exact numbers are not available at this time). 

Remember that while you may be a resident of Pennsylvania, you are not limited to adopting a child from Pennsylvania.  You can adopt a child born in Pennsylvania, 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 Pennsylvania, 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 Field of Dreams Adoption Services, Inc.
3208 Benner Pike Village, Suite 200
PO Box 56
Bellefonte, PA 16823
Phone: (814) 355-4310
Fax: (814) 355-4393
Toll-Free: (877) 355-4310

A Second Chance
204 North Highland Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Phone: (412) 665-2300
Fax: (412) 242-5229

Absolute Love Adoptions (ALA)
412 Main Street
Suite 3
Irwin, PA 15642
Phone: (724) 861-8300
Fax: (412) 492-8731
Toll-Free: (800) 451-3910

Adelphoi Village, Inc.
1003 Village Way
Latrobe, PA 15650
Phone: (724) 520-1111

Adopt Abroad, Inc.
1262 Wood Lane # 205
Langhorne, PA 19047
Phone: (215) 702 0561
Fax: (973) 744 4760

Adoption Horizons
899 Petersburg Road
Carlisle, PA 17103
Phone: (717) 249-8850

Adoption House, Inc.
527 Swede Street
Norristown, PA 19407
Phone: (215) 523-9234
Fax: (215) 523-9235

Adoption International Program, Inc.
614 Darby Road
Havertown, PA 19083
Toll-Free: (866) 969-8445

Adoption Resource Center, Inc.
4701 Pine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19143
Phone: (215) 844-1082
Fax: (215) 842-9881
Toll-Free: (800) 884-4004

Adoption Services, Inc.
28 Central Boulevard
Camp Hill, PA 17011
Phone: (717) 737-3960
Fax: (717) 731-0517
Toll-Free: (800) 943-0400

Adoption Unlimited, Inc.
2148 Embassy Drive
Suite 121
Lancaster, PA 17603
Phone: (717) 431-2021
Fax: (717) 399-0093

Adoptions Forever, Inc.
509 Strathmore Road
Havertown, PA 19083
Phone: (610) 853-2635
Fax: (610) 853-4576

Adoptions From The Heart
206 North Main Street
Suite 3
Greensburg, PA 15601
Phone: (724) 853-6533
Fax: (724) 853-1738
Toll-Free: (800) 355-5500

Adoptions From The Heart
1525 Oregon Pike Commons
Suite 402
Lancaster, PA 17601
Phone: (717) 399-7766
Fax: (717) 399-7755
Toll-Free: (800) 355-5500

Adoptions From The Heart
2212 Union Boulevard
Allentown, PA 18109
Phone: (610) 432-2384
Fax: (610) 432-8200
Toll-Free: (800) 355-5500

Adoptions From The Heart (AFTH)
30-31 Hampstead Circle
Wynnewood, PA 19096
Phone: (610) 642-7200
Fax: (610) 642-7938
Toll-Free: (800) 355-5500

Adoptions From The Heart
4331 North Front Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110
Phone: (717) 232-1787
Fax: (717) 232-7602
Toll-Free: (800) 355-5500

Best Nest, Inc.
1709 Washington Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19146
Phone: (215) 546-8060
Fax: (215) 546-8906

Best Nest, Inc.
325 Market Street
Williamsport, PA 17701
Phone: (570) 321-1969
Fax: (570) 321-1980
Toll-Free: (800) 966-4100

Bethanna, Inc.
1030 Second Street Pike
Southampton, PA 18966
Phone: (215) 355-6500
Fax: (215) 355-8847

Bethanna, Inc.
1030 Second Street Pike
Southampton, PA 18966
Phone: (215) 355-6500
Fax: 215-355-8847

Bethany Christian Services
550 Pinetown Road
Suite 100
Fort Washington, PA 19034-2606
Phone: (215) 628-0202
Fax: (215) 628-2944
Toll-Free: (800) 215-0702

Bethany Christian Services
550 Pinetown Road
Suite 100
Fort Washington, PA 19034
Phone: (215) 628-0202
Fax: (215) 628-2944

Bethany Christian Services of Western Pennsylvania, Inc.
10521 Perry Highway
Suite 310
Wexford, PA 15090
Phone: (724) 940-2900
Fax: (724) 940-2901

Bethany Christian Services, Inc.
1689 Crown Avenue
Suite 1
Lancaster, PA 176016303
Phone: (717) 299-1926
Fax: (717) 291-9366
Toll-Free: (800) 989-1926

Black Adoption Services
307 4th Street, Suite 710
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Phone: (412) 471-8722
Fax: (412) 471-4861

COBYS Family Services
1417 Oregon Road
Leola, PA 17540
Phone: (717) 656-6580
Fax: (717) 656-3056
Toll-Free: (800) 452-6517

CONCERN - Professional Services for Children, Youth and Families
One West Main Street
Fleetwood, PA 19522
Phone: (610) 944-0445
Fax: (610) 944-1195
Toll-Free: (800) 562-1427

Catholic Charities
212 9th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Phone: (412) 456-6960
Fax: (412) 456-0181
Toll-Free: (800) 321-2273

Catholic Charities Diocese of Allentown
Madison Building, 400 Washington Street
Suite 100
Reading, PA 19606
Phone: (610) 376-7144
Fax: (610) 376-7145

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Inc.
212 Ninth Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Phone: (412) 456-6960
Fax: (412) 456-0181

Catholic Charities, Inc.
806 South 29th Street
Harrisburg, PA 17111
Phone: (717) 564-7115
Fax: (717) 564-7180
Toll-Free: (800) 777-7003

Catholic Social Services
227 North Eighteenth Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 854-7050
Fax: (215) 854-7056
Toll-Free: (800) CARE-002

Catholic Social Services of Philadelphia (CSS)
227 North 18th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 854-7050
Fax: (215) 854-7056

Child and Home Study Associates
1029 North Providence Road
Media, PA 19063
Phone: (610) 565-1544
Fax: (610) 565-1567

Child and Home Study Associates, Inc.
1029 North Providence Road
Media, PA 19063
Phone: (610) 565-1544
Fax: (610) 565-1567

Children's Aid Home Programs of Somerset County, Inc.
1476 North Center Avenue
Somerset, PA 15501
Phone: (814) 443-1637
Fax: (814) 445-8481

Children's Aid Society
1314 DeKalb Street
Norristown, PA 19401
Phone: (610) 279-2755
Fax: (610) 272-5447

Children's Aid Society in Clearfield County
1008 South Second Street
Clearfield, PA 16830
Phone: (814) 765-2686

Children's Choice, Inc.
3948 West Branch Highway
Lewisburg, PA 17837
Phone: (570) 522-1030
Fax: (717) 230-9020
Toll-Free: (800) 355-1175

Children's Choice, Inc.
2909 North Front Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110
Phone: (717) 230-9980
Fax: (610) 521-6266
Toll-Free: (800) 355-1175

Children's Choice, Inc.
International Plaza Two
Suite 325
Philadelphia, PA 19113
Phone: (610) 521-6270
Fax: (610) 521-6266
Toll-Free: (800) LACHILD

Children's Home of York, Inc.
77 Shoehouse Road
York, PA 17406
Phone: (717) 755-1033
Fax: (717) 840-3791

Children's Service Center of Wyoming Valley, Inc.
335 South Franklin Street
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
Phone: (570) 825-6425
Fax: (570) 829-3337

Common Sense Adoption Services
208 West Main Street
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
Phone: (717) 766-6449
Fax: (717) 766-6701
Toll-Free: (800) 445-2444

Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations, Inc. (CONCILIO)
705-09 North Franklin Street
Philadelphia, PA 19123
Phone: (215) 627-3100
Fax: (215) 627-7440

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