Adoption Support Groups in Missouri
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 Missouri, and the laws relating to what you can and cannot do when adopting a child in Missouri.

Understanding the child adoption laws in Missouri 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 Missouri:

*Use of Intermediaries/Facilitators:  A person, agency, or other organization commits the crime of trafficking in children if he or it offers, gives, receives, or solicits any money, consideration, or other thing of value for the delivery or offer of a child for adoption, or for the execution of a consent to future adoption.

*Allowable birth parent expenses include: Hospital, medical, or physician expenses incurred by the mother or the child; counseling services for the parent or child for a reasonable time before and after the placement for adoption; reasonable legal expenses, court costs, travel, and other administrative expenses in connection with the adoption; and reasonable living expenses, including food, shelter, utilities, transportation, and clothing.

*The written consent of the birth mother shall not be executed anytime before the child is 48 hours old.

*Written consent may be withdrawn anytime until it has been reviewed and accepted by a judge.

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 Missouri 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 Missouri. 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.  Missouri also has the Missouri adoption exchange or photo listing program and an Missouri 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.

Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition (FACC)
111 N. 7th Street
4th Floor
Saint Louis, MO 63101
314-367-8373
800-FOSTER-3

Foster & Adoptive Parents of Mid-MO
7701 Cedar Hills Rd
Ashland, MO 65010
Phone: 573-657-9652

Midwest Foster Care &, Adoption Association, Inc.
8511 E. 21st St.
Kansas City, MO 64014
Phone: 816-224-4559/816-350-0215

MO Foster Care & Adoption Association
PO Box 277
Cape Fair, MO 65624
Phone: 417-538-4362

Parkland Foster & Adoptive Families
408 N. Allen St.
Bonne Terre, MO 63628
Phone: 573-358-3512

St. Louis Arc
1816 Lackland Hill Parkway
Suite 200
St. Louis, MO 63146
Phone: (314) 817-2285

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