Adoption Agencies in New Jersey

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 New Jersey (some of what you can and can't do) and then provide you with information on children available for adoption in New Jersey.  We then relate how we can assist you during the adoption process, and finally we provide a list of licensed New Jersey 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 New Jersey 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 New Jersey 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
Use of Intermediaries/Facilitators
Citation: Ann. Stat. §§ 9:3-38(l); 9:3-39.1(a)(4)

An ''intermediary'' is any person or entity, which is not an approved agency, that acts for or between any birth parent and any prospective adoptive parent, on behalf of either in connection with the placement of a child for adoption.

An intermediary shall not receive money or other valuable consideration in connection with such placement. When placement is through an intermediary:

The person with whom the child is placed shall have been approved for placement by an approved agency home study.
The birth parent shall have been offered counseling.
Written notice shall be given to the birth parent.
A decision by the birth parent not to place the child cannot be conditioned upon reimbursement of expenses paid by the adoptive parent.

State Regulation of Adoption Expenses
Birth Parent Expenses Allowed
Citation: § 9:3-39.1(e)

Medical, hospital, counseling, and other expenses connected with the birth of the child
Reasonable living expenses, including food, clothing, and shelter
Attorney fees and legal costs
Religious, psychological, or vocational counseling during the pregnancy
If the child is from a foreign country, reasonable and customary fees and expenses of a foreign agency or attorney

Birth Parent Expenses Not Allowed
Citation: § 9:3-39.1(e)

Payments for expenses cannot extend beyond 4 weeks after the termination of the pregnancy, by birth or otherwise.

Allowable Payments for Arranging Adoption
Citation: § 9:3-39.1(a)

Only an approved agency or person may offer to place or materially assist in the placement of a child for adoption.

Allowable Payments for Relinquishing Child
Citation: § 9:3-39.1(c), (d)

The decision to place a child for adoption cannot be contingent upon payment of expenses.
Payments made are nonrefundable.

Accounting of Expenses Required by Court
Citation: § 9:3-55

A detailed report, signed and verified, that discloses all sums of money or other valuable consideration paid or agreed to be paid, shall be filed with the court.

Consent to Adoption
Who Must Consent to an Adoption
Citation: Ann. Stat. §§ 9:3-41; 9:3-45

The child may be surrendered for adoption by:
The parent or guardian of the child
Any agency that has obtained the authority to place the child for adoption
For purposes of this section, ''parent'' means:

The husband of the mother of a child born or conceived during the marriage
A putative or alleged biological mother or father of a child

Age When Consent of Adoptee is Considered or Required
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 9:3-49

If the child sought to be adopted is age 10 or older, the appearance of the child shall be required at the final adoption hearing, unless waived by the court for good cause shown, and the child's wishes concerning the adoption shall be solicited by the court and given consideration if the child is of sufficient capacity to form an intelligent preference regarding the adoption.

When Parental Consent is not Needed
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 9:3-45; 9:3-46

Notice of an adoption proceeding shall not be served on a parent:
Who has executed a valid surrender to an approved agency
Whose parental rights have been terminated in a separate judicial proceeding
Who has, prior to the placement of the child for adoption, received notice of the intention to place the child, and who has either failed to file written objections or denied paternity or maternity of the child
Who has given the child for adoption to the adopting parent, and the court has determined that the surrender was voluntary and proper
Whose child has been made available for adoption in a foreign state or country if the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service has determined that the child has been approved for adoptive placement
Who is presumed to be the biological father of the child but who, within 120 days of the birth of the child or prior to the date of the preliminary hearing, whichever occurs first, has not acknowledged paternity
A judgment of adoption shall be entered over an objection of a person who is entitled to notice if the court finds, during the 6-month period prior to the placement of the child for adoption or within 120 days after the birth of a child or prior to the date of the preliminary hearing, whichever occurs first, in the case of a child placed for adoption as a newborn infant:

That the parent has substantially failed to perform the regular and expected parental functions of care and support of the child, although able to do so
That the parent is unable to perform the regular and expected parental functions of care and support of the child and that the parent's inability to perform those functions is unlikely to change in the immediate future

When Consent Can Be Executed
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 9:3-41(e)

A surrender by the birth parent of a child shall not be valid if taken within 72 hours of the birth of the child. The denial of paternity by an alleged father, at any time including prior to the birth of the child, shall be deemed a surrender for purposes of allowing the child to be adopted.

Revocation of Consent
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 9:3-41(a)

The surrender shall be valid and binding without regard to the age of the person executing the surrender and shall be irrevocable except at the discretion of the approved agency taking such surrender or upon order or judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction setting aside such surrender upon proof of fraud, duress, or misrepresentation by the approved agency.

Rights of Presumed (Putative) Fathers
Registry/Paternity Requirements to Receive Notice
Citation: §§ 9:3-45; 9:3-45.1

The putative father may file written objections within 20 days of receipt of notice of adoption proceedings in the case of a resident, or within 35 days if a nonresident.
The putative father is entitled to notice if within 120 days of the child's birth, or prior to the date of a preliminary hearing (whichever occurs first), he has acknowledged paternity by amending the birth certificate or filing a paternity action in court.

Please visit adoption law in New Jersey for more details.

Yes, through both public and private adoption agencies.  For example, in 2004, New Jersey had 5,934 children in the welfare system waiting to be adopted of whom 531 were under the age of 1 year, and 2,468 were between ages 1-5 years old. The actual number of children adopted through New Jersey public child welfare agencies was only 1,328, which represents only a small portion of the total number of all New Jersey adoptions (exact numbers are not available at this time).

Remember that while you may be a resident of New Jersey, you are not limited to adopting a child from New Jersey.  You can adopt a child born in New Jersey, 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 New Jersey, 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 Services, Inc.
210 Haddon Avenue
Westmont, NJ 08108
Phone: (717) 737-3960
Fax: (717) 731-0157
Toll-Free: (800) 943-0400

Adoptions From The Heart
1 Bethany Road
Suite 81, Building 6
Hazlet, NJ 07730
Phone: (732) 335-8883
Fax: (732) 335-8890
Toll-Free: (800) 355-5500

Adoptions From The Heart
451 Woodland Avenue
Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
Phone: (856) 665-5655
Fax: (856) 665-5855
Toll-Free: (800) 355-5500

Bethany Christian Services
445 Godwin Avenue
Midland Park, NJ 07432
Phone: (201) 444-7775
Fax: (201) 444-5420

Catholic Charities
319 Maple Street
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861
Phone: (732) 324-8200
Fax: (732) 324-2211

Catholic Charities
115 West Pearl Street
Burlington, NJ 08016
Phone: (609) 386-6221
Fax: (609) 386-6993

Catholic Community Services of Newark
499 Belgrove Drive
Suite 2
Kearny, NJ 07032
Phone: (201)246-7378

Children's Aid and Family Services, Inc.
185 Ridgedale Avenue
Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927
Phone: (973) 285-0165
Fax: (201) 261-6013

Children's Aid and Family Services, Inc.
240 Frisch Court
Paramus, NJ 07652
Phone: (201) 226-0300
Fax: (201) 226-9262

Children's Home Society of New Jersey
635 South Clinton Avenue
Trenton, NJ 08611-1831
Phone: (609) 695-6274
Fax: (609) 394-5769

Downey Side, Inc.
201 Arnold Avenue
Suite E
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742
Phone: (609) 538-8200
Fax: (609) 538-8335
Toll-Free: (800) 872-4453

Family Options
19 Bridge Avenue
Red Bank, NJ 07701
Phone: (732) 936-0770
Fax: (732) 936-0094
Toll-Free: (800) 734-7143

Homestudies & Adoption Placement Services, Inc. (HAPS)
668 American Legion Drive
Teaneck, NJ 07666
Phone: (201) 836-5554
Fax: (201) 836-0204

Jewish Family Service of Metro West
256 Columbia Turnpike
Suite 105
Florham Park, NJ 07932-0825
Phone: (973) 765-9050
Fax: (973) 765-0195

Jewish Family and Children's Services of Southern New Jersey (JFCS)
Suite 702 Birchfield Drive
Mount Laurel, NJ 08054
Phone: (856) 778-7775
Fax: (856) 778-7710

Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey
6 Terri Lane
Suite 300
Burlington, NJ 08016-4905
Phone: (609) 386-7171
Fax: (609) 386-7191
Toll-Free: (800) 458-0651

Small World Agency
257 West Broad Street
Palmyra, NJ 08065-1463
Phone: (856) 829-2769

Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children
57 Union Place
Summit, NJ 07901
Phone: (908) 522-0043
Fax: (908) 598-1506

Youth Consultation Services (YCS)
60 Evergreen Place
10th Floor
East Orange, NJ 07018
Phone: (973) 395-0801
Fax: (973) 395-9902

If you are looking for a child adoption agency simply click the link below for the state to see a list of the adoption agencies in that state.

Why You Need an Adoption Consultant

There are many risks when you go to adopt a child including losing a child after you have already taken them home (referred to as a disruption), loosing all of the money you have invested in the adoption if the birth mother changes her mind, or finding that there are previously unknown or undisclosed fees that may appear. Dr Berger has helped thousands of  adopting families with domestic adoptions and international adoptions and he is available to assist you no matter what type of adoption you chose to pursue and regardless of whether you work with an adoption agency, facilitator or adoption attorney.  He can help you save your  time, effort and money in helping you to decide what routes to take and the best way to achieve your goal of adopting a child. He can help reduce your risks and potential pain and can help you avoid many of the problems and pitfalls found in the adoption process. You can read and download his free adoption manual or, for more information on how he can help you, please visit his Adoption Consultant link or contact him by phone (1-800-943-0400) or email.

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