8 Adoption Resources for LGBT Parents

November is National Adoption Month, so I thought I’d kick things off with a few resources for those just beginning their parenting journey.

As with all parenting decisions, the very first place to start is in your heart. Do you want to be parents? Is adoption the path, or one of the paths, you are open to? After that, some online resources may be of help.

LGBT Specific

• “Adoption Options Overview” from HRC is a good summary of the types of adoption and some of the challenges of each one. Their “8 Questions to Ask Before Starting the Adoption Process” is also useful.
• “Frequently Asked Questions From LGBT Prospective Foster and Adoptive Parents” from the Child Welfare Information Gateway, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (developed in partnership with the HRC Family Project).
• Find a list of LGBT-friendly adoption agencies — ones that have achieved all of HRC’s All Children – All Families Benchmarks of LGBT Cultural Competency.
• Foster and Adoption Laws Map (U.S.) From the Movement Advancement Project.

Not LGBT Specific

• The Child Welfare Information Gateway also has lots of other general information on adoption, in addition to the LGBT-specific link above. They also have a site dedicated to National Adoption Month, with a subset of key resources.
• The National Adoption Center expands adoption opportunities for children living in foster care throughout the United States and is a resource to families and agencies that seek the permanency of caring homes for children.
• Transracial/Transcultural Adoption: Information and stories from the New York State Citizens’ Coalition for Children.
• National Center on Adoption and Permanency is a brand-new one-stop portal for links to adoption-related resources.

Those are only a few of the many resources available. I’ve focused here on starter resources for prospective adoptive parents, and haven’t included organizations that mostly work in adoption advocacy, policy, or the like. I also haven’t included the many links for birth parents, adopted individuals, and social service professionals. Stay tuned for more on adoption throughout the month (and year-round)!