Adoption Support Groups in Delaware
For Adopting Families

Among the most common things you, as an adopting family, may be looking for is information on "how to adopt a child" whether to use an adoption facilitator, whether to engage in a private adoption or adoption agency, the limitations and requirements for adoption, what to consider in selecting an adoption agency, where to find licensed adoption agencies in Delaware, and the laws relating to what you can and cannot do when adopting a child in Delaware.

Understanding the child adoption laws in Delaware can greatly increase your chances of successfully adopting a child. Important legal concerns include the giving of support or gifts to a birth mother or birth father, fees paid to an adoption agency, attorney, or other intermediary, the legality of using an adoption facilitator, the legal rights of the birth parents and the adopting family, and the critical issues of a disruption and the ending the biological parental rights (called a Consent, Relinquishment or Surrender).  For example, using our most recent update, in Delaware:

*Only the department or a licensed agency may advertise in this State regarding the availability of adoption services or for the placement of a child for the purpose of adoption.

*No placement for an identified adoption in which an intermediary has been involved shall be approved. All petitions for adoption shall have attached an affidavit attesting that no intermediary assisted in locating the child.

*No biological parent shall receive any sort of payment for the placement of a child for adoption.

*An affidavit is to be attached to the adoption petition stating the service fees and other expenses paid, and attesting that no intermediary assisted in locating the child.

*A mother whose consent to the termination of parental rights is required may execute a consent only after the child is born. Consent by the father or presumed father may be executed either before or after the child is born.

*Revocation of Consent: In any case in which consent has been given and the person, department, licensed agency, authorized agency or child over age 14 giving the consent desires to withdraw the consent, he or she shall file, within 60 days from the date of the filing of the adoption petition containing the consent, a petition asking the court to revoke his or her consent and dismiss the adoption petition.

*The putative father must register in the Registry of Paternity before the birth of the child or within 30 days after the birth of the child.

You may be looking for the differences in the waiting period, effort, cost, and success rates involved in adopting children within your state or in other states (domestic adoption) or even from other countries (international adoption) in order to determine which type of adoption will work for you.  Some specific choices you may want to consider, as the waiting lists tend to be shorter, are special needs adoption, bi-racial and trans-racial adoption, and older children (generally from one to 15 years of age) from the Delaware child welfare and foster care systems. The more open you are in the type and age of child you are looking to adopt the better your chances of success. You should also decide before contacting an adoption agency whether you want an open adoption or closed adoption.

In addition to the adoption support groups shown below, there are many sources of help available to you in Delaware. For example, we are always happy to take your calls and offer you help and information (contact us). There are local and private as well as state and federal government resources that can provide financial and medical information and help.  Delaware also has the Delaware adoption exchange or photo listing program and an Delaware adoption contact  office.

You may also be looking for information on special problems in raising an adopted child and being the best possible parent you can be. This may include explaining adoption to your child, family, friends and others. It could also include dealing with special emotional and developmental issues, or adoption and school problems, or issues involving adoption therapy and finding a therapist who specializes in working with adopted children and their families. Then again you may be looking for information on infant nutrition or birth records or one of a myriad of other questions.

If you are specifically interested in an international adoption support group, you may want to visit the support groups for Russian adoption, as well as the groups for Guatemala adoption and China adoption.

American Adoption Congress is composed of individuals, families and organizations committed to adoption reform.

Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption (FRUA) is for families who have adopted, or are in the process of adoption, from Russia and former Soviet Union countries.

Families with Children from China is a non-denominational organization of families who have adopted children from China.

Guatemala Adoptive Families Network initiates and supports the adoption of Guatemalan children.

National Adoption Center attempts to facilitate the adoption of children in the U. S., particularly children with special needs and those from minority cultures.

North American Council on Adoptable Children is committed to meeting the needs of waiting children and the families who adopt them.

Our Chinese Daughters Foundation (OCDF) is a non-profit foundation that supports families with children adopted from China.

Resolve is dedicated to providing education, advocacy, and support to those who face infertility.

The Child Welfare Information Gateway provides information on all aspects of both domestic and international adoption.

American Adoption Congress (AAC)
20 Yeates Drive
New Castle, DE 19720
Phone: (202) 483-3399

Children and Families First (C&FF)
2005 Baynard Boulevard
Wilmington, DE 19802
Phone: (302) 658-5177
Toll-Free: (800) 734-2388

Delaware Adoptive Parents Support Group
9 Maple Avenue
Newark, DE 19711-4793
Phone: (302) 738-9113

Upper Bay Counseling and Support Services
132 Delaware Avenue
Newark, DE 19711
Phone: (302) 368-8417

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