Adoption Services

While the ultimate goal of our foster care program is to reunite foster children with their families, reunification is not always possible. Therefore, KidsPeace foster care offices can often assist our foster parents in finalizing the adoption of foster children for those children whose parental rights have been terminated. KidsPeace offices work with agencies within their state to ensure that all studies and required documentation are completed in a timely manner. KidsPeace continues to support the families who have adopted their foster children.

Additionally, in the state of Pennsylvania, KidsPeace foster care offices provide services to assist families in pursuing in-state and/or international adoption of infants, children, and teens, including private adoption home studiesfrom all of its offices in Pennsylvania.

SWAN (Pennsylvania)
KidsPeace is an affiliate of the Statewide Adoption Network (SWAN) in Pennsylvania. SWAN provides adoption services that are funded and overseen by the Department of Public Welfare. KidsPeace conducts screenings to assure and document that each pre-adoptive family is able to provide a safe, stable, and nurturing environment for children. KidsPeace provides fundamental and specialized training to prepare families for the permanent placement of a child and also works with adoptive children to prepare them for this new phase of their lives. KidsPeace helps to coordinate the matching of potential adoptive families with available children from birth to 18 years of age. KidsPeace supervises the adoption process and provides post-placement services. Additionally, KidsPeace provides post-permanency services such as respite, adoptive parent support groups, and case management services.

International Adoption Services (Pennsylvania)
KidsPeace foster care offices in Pennsylvania have partnered with Children’s Home Society and Family Services (CHSFS) of St. Paul, MN. The partnership serves to match adoptive children from another country with families seeking to adopt internationally. KidsPeace evaluates potential adoptive parents through the completion of an adoption home study. KidsPeace offices across the state, with support from CHSFS, are staffed with specialists that are familiar with the adoption requirements of various countries. Our partnership with CHSFS provides KidsPeace staff with an understanding of the agency’s criteria for adoptive parent acceptance and helps to identify countries to which a family would most closely match. Included in the adoption home study are a family history, medical information, economic profile, family activities and interests, preferences to age and gender, a home safety evaluation, and any information that might be relevant to international placement decision-makers. When a potential adoptive family chooses KidsPeace to conduct an adoption home study, the adoptive parents become our clients. KidsPeace makes every effort to facilitate a positive outcome and a successful match with an adoptable child.

The countries with which CHSFS currently arranges adoptions include:

• China
• Colombia
• Ethiopia
• Guatemala
• India
• Kazakstan
• Korea
• Republic of Georgia
• Russia
• Thailand
• Vietnam

Following a completed adoption, KidsPeace works with the family through post-adoption supervision visits to ensure a positive adjustment between the child and the parents. KidsPeace provides a number of post-adoption visits to the new family as required by the child’s country of origin. KidsPeace staff are available to offer assistance and support on many issues that may arise.

For more information on international adoptions, visit CHSFS’s Web site.

Private Adoption Home Studies for Domestic Adoption
KidsPeace foster care offers private adoption home studies from all of its offices in Pennsylvania. Specially trained KidsPeace staff understand the requirements of local adoption agencies and are equipped to help potential adoptive parents find an agency that matches their needs and desires. Our specialists evaluate potential adoptive families by taking family and medical histories, gathering  economic and safety information and listing family interests, activities and gender/age preferences. Potential adoptive parents requesting home studies become KidsPeace foster care clients, and our staff work for the family to expedite the most suitable adoption available.