Adoption Agencies in Vermont

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

Use of Facilitators in Adoptive Placements
Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 15A, § 2-102(a)-(d)

A parent or guardian authorized to place a minor for adoption may place the minor only with a prospective adoptive parent who has a valid favorable preplacement evaluation or for whom a preplacement evaluation is not required. The parent or guardian shall personally select a prospective adoptive parent.

A parent or guardian may be assisted by another person in locating a prospective adoptive parent. A prospective adoptive parent may be assisted by another person in locating a minor who is available for adoption.

State Regulation of Adoption Expenses
Birth Parent Expenses Allowed
Citation: Tit. 15A, § 7-103(a)

Medical, hospital, pharmaceutical, nursing, or other similar costs
Counseling services for a reasonable time before and after the child's placement
Living expenses for the birth mother for a reasonable time
Legal fees, court costs, and other administrative expenses
Transportation for services provided
Any other service or expense the court finds reasonable and necessary

Birth Parent Expenses Not Allowed
Citation: Tit. 15A, § 7-103(a)(4)

Payments for living expenses may continue for no more than 6 weeks after the child's birth.

Allowable Payments for Arranging Adoption
Citation: Tit. 15-A, § 7-105

A person may not offer or receive payment for:
The placement of a child
A consent to adoption
The recruitment of nonresident pregnant women for the purpose of relinquishing their children

Allowable Payments for Relinquishing Child
Citation: Tit. 15A, § 7-103(b)-(c)

Payment may not be made contingent on relinquishing the child or giving consent to the adoption.
No payment may be made directly to the parent without prior court approval.

Accounting of Expenses Required by Court
Citation: Tit. 15-A, § 3-702

At least 10 days before the hearing:
The petitioners shall file accounting of any payment or disbursement made or agreed to be made.
The attorney for the petitioners shall file an affidavit itemizing any fees accepted for adoption-related services.
If an agency or guardian placed the child for adoption, the agency or guardian shall file an affidavit itemizing all fees and expenses paid.

Consent to Adoption
Who Must Consent to an Adoption
Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 15A, § 2-401

In a direct placement of a minor for adoption by a parent or guardian, a petition to adopt the minor may be granted only if consent to the adoption has been executed by:
The woman who gave birth to the minor
The biological father identified by the mother or as otherwise known to the court
A man who is or has been married to the woman if the minor was born during the marriage or within 300 days after the marriage was terminated or a court issued a decree of separation
A man who meets all of the following conditions:
Was not married to the minor's mother at the time of the child's birth
Has acknowledged his paternity of the minor by executing a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity or has filed a notice to retain parental rights
Has demonstrated a commitment to the responsibilities of parenthood by establishing a custodial, personal, or financial relationship with the child, unless he was prevented from demonstrating such commitment or was unable to demonstrate such commitment
The minor's guardian if expressly authorized by a court to consent to the minor's adoption
The current adoptive or other legally recognized mother and father of the minor
In a placement of a minor for adoption by an agency authorized to place the minor, a petition to adopt the minor may be granted only if consent to the adoption has been executed by:

The agency that placed the minor for adoption
A person described above who has not relinquished the minor or had his or her parental rights terminated

Age When Consent of Adoptee is Considered or Required
Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 15A, § 2-401

Unless the court dispenses with the minor's consent, a petition to adopt a minor who has attained 14 years of age may be granted only if, in addition to any consent required above, the minor has executed an informed consent to the adoption.

When Parental Consent is not Needed
Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 15A, § 2-402

Consent to an adoption of a minor is not required of:
A person who has relinquished parental rights or guardianship powers, including the right to consent to adoption, to an agency
A person whose parental relationship to the minor has been judicially terminated or determined not to exist
A man who has not been married to the woman who gave birth to the minor and who, after the conception of the minor, executes a notarized statement denying paternity or disclaiming any interest in the minor and acknowledging that his statement is irrevocable when executed
The personal representative of a deceased parent's estate
A parent or other person who has not executed a consent or a relinquishment and who fails to file an answer or make an appearance in a proceeding for adoption or for termination of a parental relationship within the requisite time after service of notice of the proceeding
The court may dispense with the consent of:

A guardian or an agency whose consent is otherwise required upon a finding that the consent is being withheld unreasonably, contrary to the best interest of a minor adopted person
A minor who is age 14 or older upon a finding that it is not in the best interest of the minor to require the consent

When Consent Can Be Executed
Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 15A, § 2-404

A parent whose consent to the adoption is required may not execute a consent or a relinquishment sooner than 36 hours after the minor is born.
A guardian may execute a consent to the adoption of a minor or a relinquishment at any time after being authorized by a court to do so.

An agency that places a minor for adoption may execute its consent at any time before or during the hearing on the petition for adoption.

A minor whose consent is required may execute a consent at any time at or before the hearing on the petition for adoption.

Revocation of Consent
Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 15A, §§ 2-407; 2-408; 2-409

Except as specified below, a consent to adoption that is executed by a parent or guardian is final and irrevocable 21 days after execution.

In a direct placement of a minor for adoption by a parent or guardian, and before the adoption is finalized, a consent is revoked if:

Within 21 days after the consent is executed, a parent who executed the consent notifies the court in writing that the parent revokes the consent.
The person who executed the consent and the prospective adoptive parent agree to its revocation.
In a direct placement by a parent or guardian, the court shall set aside the consent if the person who executed the consent establishes:

By clear and convincing evidence, before a decree of adoption is issued, that the consent was obtained by fraud or duress
By a preponderance of the evidence before a decree of adoption is issued that, without good cause shown, a petition to adopt was not filed within 45 days after the minor was placed for adoption, unless the 45-day period was extended by the court, in which event the petition to adopt was not filed within the extended period set by the court
By a preponderance of the evidence, that a condition permitting revocation has occurred
A relinquishment is revoked if:

Within 21 days after a relinquishment is executed, a parent who executed the relinquishment gives written notice to the court and the agency to which the minor has been relinquished that the parent revokes the relinquishment.
The person who executed the relinquishment and the agency that accepted it agree to its revocation.
The court shall set aside a relinquishment if the person who executed the relinquishment establishes:

By clear and convincing evidence, before a decree of adoption is issued, that the relinquishment was obtained by fraud or duress
By a preponderance of the evidence, that a condition permitting revocation has occurred

Rights of Presumed (Putative) Fathers
Registry/Paternity Requirements to Receive Notice
Citation: Tit. 15A, §§ 3-503; 3-404

The putative father must file a claim of paternity within 20 days after notice of termination proceedings, unless a claim of paternity is pending.
Reasonable efforts are made to identify and notify the biological father. This may include inquiries of appropriate persons.

Please visit adoption law in Vermont for more details.

Yes, through both public and private adoption agencies.  For example, in 2004, Vermont had 278 children in the welfare system waiting to be adopted of whom 4 were under the age of 1 year, and 68 were between ages 1-5 years old. The actual number of children adopted through Vermont public child welfare agencies was only 220, which represents only a small portion of the total number of all Vermont adoptions (exact numbers are not available at this time). 

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

Casey Family Services
160 Palmer Court
White River Junction, VT 05001-3323
Phone: (802) 649-1400
Fax: (802) 649-2351
Toll-Free: (800) 607-1400

Friends in Adoption
PO Box 1228
44 South Street
Middletown Springs, VT 05757-1228
Phone: (802) 235-2373
Fax: (802) 235-2311
Toll-Free: (800) 844-3630

Friends in Adoption
44 South Street
PO Box 1228
Middletown Springs, VT 05757-1228
Phone: (802)-235-2373

Vermont Catholic Charities
24 1/2 Center Street
Rutland, VT 05701
Phone: (802) 658-6110

Vermont Catholic Charities (VCC)
351 North Avenue
Burlington, VT 05401-2921
Phone: (802) 658-6110
Fax: (802) 860-0451

Vermont Children's Aid Society
PO Box 127
Winooski, VT 05404
802-655-0006
or
32 Pleasant St.
Woodstock, VT 05091
802-457-3084

Wide Horizons For Children (WHFC)
PO Box 53
Monkton, VT 05469
Phone: (802) 453-2581