10 Steps to Adopting a Child in Foster Care

Black children make up 27 percent of kids in foster care.

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Adopting a Child in Foster Care - Davion Only, 15, who has been an orphan since he was a baby, recently went in front of a church congregation in Florida to make a plea for someone to adopt him. Nearly 1,000 inquiries about Davion have poured into his adoption agency since his story went viral. Of the estimated 400,540 children in foster care in 2011, 27 percent were African-American. Take a look at 10 steps to adopting a foster child. — Natelege Whaley (ABC News)

Photo By Courtesy of ABC News

Step 1: Learn About Adoption - Read up on adoption in magazines, books and websites such as The National Adoption Center, which provides an online course, “Foster Family to Forever Family?” Research different adoption agencies and attend orientation sessions. A person who is interested can also attend an adoptive parent support group or adoption conferences.  (Photo: DigitalSkillet/Getty Images)

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Step 1: Learn About Adoption - Read up on adoption in magazines, books and websites such as The National Adoption Center, which provides an online course, “Foster Family to Forever Family?” Research different adoption agencies and attend orientation sessions. A person who is interested can also attend an adoptive parent support group or adoption conferences.  (Photo: DigitalSkillet/Getty Images)

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Step 2: Select an Agency - Find agencies licensed in the state where you reside. Ask them about the type of children they place, the fees involved, how they prepare families and how long it will take to place a child. It is also wise to ask other adoptive parents who have gone through the agency what their experiences were like. Lastly, inquire about potential legal fees that you may incur during the adoption process. (Photo: Blend Images/Hill Street Studios/Getty Images)

Verify - The bill expands the E-Verify system and requires employers to confirm that prospective workers are legally eligible to work in the U.S. within three business days after an offer of employment has been accepted. They also must verify status using fraud- and identity-theft resistant documents. (Photo: Chris Ryan/Getty Images)

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Step 3: Complete a Home Study - In order to approve a parent for adoption, a social worker will meet with the interested party in a series of meetings to assess whether they are prepared for the adoption. Documents such as birth certificates, marriage license, child abuse clearances and personal references will be under review as well. (Photo: Chris Ryan/Getty Images)

Step 4: Search for a Child - After a home study is complete and approved, a prospective parent will begin searching for a child or teenager to make a part of their family. Different agencies will provide a database of children in their care. Outside agencies may also be explored as well. (Photo: kali9/Getty Images)

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Step 4: Search for a Child - After a home study is complete and approved, a prospective parent will begin searching for a child or teenager to make a part of their family. Different agencies will provide a database of children in their care. Outside agencies may also be explored as well. (Photo: kali9/Getty Images)

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Step 5: Exchange Information With Child’s Agency - When interested parents find a child or teenager they are interested in adopting, a home study will be sent to their agency. If a case worker is interested, the adoptive parents will receive the child’s profile. This step requires patience and may take some time. (Photo: laflor/Getty Images)

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Step 5: Exchange Information With Child’s Agency - When interested parents find a child or teenager they are interested in adopting, a home study will be sent to their agency. If a case worker is interested, the adoptive parents will receive the child’s profile. This step requires patience and may take some time. (Photo: laflor/Getty Images)

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Step 6: Learn That You Have Been Selected for a Child - Understand that several families may be considered for a child at the same time. Those selected will receive more confidential information about the child. At this point, a parent will decide if the child is really for them. (Photo: Blend Images/Hill Street Studios/Getty Images)

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Step 7: Meet the Child - Meetings with the child and their parents will take place several times over the next few weeks or months. Further paperwork will also be completed if the child lives in a different state. (Photo: Tyler Edwards/Getty Images)

More Black American Children Being Adopted Overseas - Over the past decade, there has been an increase in the amount of American children being adopted overseas and almost all of them have been Black, according to adoption attorneys. Parents who give up their children to live abroad say they feel their kids will face less racism and discrimination in another country. (Photo: Ann Marie Kurtz/Getty Images)

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Step 8: Receive a Placement - After receiving a placement date, the child and parent will be under post-placement supervision by the agency, which will visit and work with the new family for several months. The parent will have to file a legal intent to adopt petition. (Photo: Ann Marie Kurtz/Getty Images)

A Snapshot of Black America - African-Americans’ Lives Today, a new report from NPR, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Harvard School of Public Health, provides insight into the financial make-up and overall well-being of the Black community. More than 1,000 African-Americans aged 18 and older were surveyed in the report. Keep reading for highlights, and click here to read it in its entirety. —Britt Middleton (Photo: Monashee Frantz/Getty Images)

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Step 9: Finalize the Adoption - A judge will finalize the adoption during a court session that all parties involved must attend. A new birth certificate will then be issued listing the adoptive parents’ name as parents. A new certificate of adoption will be issued, too. (Photo: Monashee Frantz/Getty Images)

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Don’t Despair If a Far-Off Destination Isn’t in the Cards - The economic conditions and job market have hit Americans squarely in the wallet. However, with a little creativity and elbow grease, you can find terrific vacation spots (even just one-day trips) that are within range both financially and geographically. This article has been prepared for informational purposes only. The accuracy and completeness of this information is not guaranteed and is subject to change. Since each individual’s financial situation is unique, you need to review your financial objectives to determine which approaches might work best for you.(Photo: Compassionate Eye Foundation/Rennie Solis/Getty Images)

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Step 10: New Life as an Adoptive Family - In order to fully be an effective adoptive parent, learning about raising children who come from foster care should continue. Adoptive parents are encouraged to join support groups with other parents and use resources that can help their children as well. (Photo: Compassionate Eye Foundation/Rennie Solis/Getty Images)

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Other Ways to Help Foster Children - Sometimes a person may not be able to adopt but will still want to help foster children. Volunteering time and donating money to non-profit organizations such as CASA and Heart Gallery of America are options. Visit Adoptuskids.org, a service of the U.S. Children’s Bureau for further information. (Photo: Rolf Bruderer via Blend Images LLC/Getty Images)