November is National Adoption Month, so here’s a revised list of resources for LGBTQ people who are just starting to consider or plan for adoption.
I’ve focused here on starter resources for LGBTQ prospective adoptive parents. I hope they will lead you to further resources as you continue your journey. Best wishes!
General Resources
- Family Equality’s Adoption Options For The LGBTQ+ Community Handbook offers information on adoption options for LGBTQ+ individuals, what to expect during the adoption process, legal factors, emotional considerations, and more.
- “Adoption Options Overview” from HRC is a good summary of the types of adoption available.
- HRC’s “8 Questions to Ask Before Starting the Adoption Process” is a useful way to begin your plans and evaluate your readiness.
- RaiseAChild.US offers events, a free Parent Advocate program, and more to support people interested in becoming parents via fostering and fostering-to-adopt. While not LGBTQ-specific, they and their agency partners are all LGBTQ friendly.
- “Frequently Asked Questions From LGBTQ+ Prospective Foster and Adoptive Parents,” from the Child Welfare Information Gateway, part of the U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services. They also maintain a wealth of links and information related to all types of adoption and child welfare generally, for parents and prospective parents, adopted people, and child welfare professionals.
Listings and Agencies
- AdoptUSKids educates families about foster care and adoption and maintains the nation’s only federally funded photolisting service that connects waiting children with families.
- Adoption agencies that have achieved all of HRC’s All Children—All Families Benchmarks of LGBTQ Cultural Competency.
Legal Matters
- Foster and Adoption Laws Map (U.S.), a useful overview from the Movement Advancement Project on which U.S. states do and do not have laws that protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in foster care and adoption.
- Family Law Attorney Directory from the LGBTQ Bar Association.
- Lawyers and firms that have completed completed one or more of Family Equality’s Open Door Professional Training Courses.
- If you feel you’ve been discriminated against because of your LGBTQ identity during the adoption process, reach out to one of the hotlines maintained by various LGBTQ legal advocacy groups:
Financial Help
- HelpUsAdopt.org, a national 501(c)(3) adoption grant program to help families overcome the financial obstacles of adoption.
- LGBTQ+ Family Building Grants, compiled by Family Equality.
- Adoption and Guardianship Assistance by State, from the Child Welfare Information Gateway (see above).
Books and Media for Grown-ups and Children
- Books and other media tagged “Adoption/fostering” in the Mombian Database. LGBTQ-inclusive books for grown-ups (guides, memoirs, and research) as well as stories for children.