Los Angeles Adoption & Foster Care Resources

Whether you are interested in adopting a child or are considering placing your baby for adoption in the Los Angeles area, there are many local resources available to you. The following provides information about local adoption agencies, home study providers and other adoption and foster care services in and around L.A.

Additional resources for expectant mothers and adoptive parents throughout the state can be found on our California adoption information page.

Los Angeles Adoption Agencies and Adoption Professionals

Whether you are ready to begin the adoption process or are simply looking for more adoption information, local adoption professionals can be great resources for the services and support you need. The following adoption agencies are based in L.A. and are experienced in meeting the needs of adoptive and birth parents in California:

• American Adoptions 
• American Adoptions of California  633 West 5^th Street,  26^th and 27^th Floors,  Los Angeles, CA 90071
• Heartsent Adoptions
• A Rainbow’s End Adoption
• Nightlight Christian Adoptions

Become a Foster Parent in Los Angeles

If you are interested in fostering a child in or near Los Angeles, California, you will need to meet all state requirements for foster parents and complete the home study process. A licensing worker will visit all prospective foster homes and meet with foster family members to ensure that all requirements are met.

For more information about foster care and foster-to-adopt placements in Los Angeles and throughout the rest of the state, visit the California Department of Social Services.

The following local agencies and resources can also provide additional information about becoming a foster parent in the Los Angeles area:

• Guardians of Love
• Holy Family Services
• Children’s Bureau
• Walden Family Services
• Inner Circle Foster Care

Completing the Home Study in L.A.

The home study is a major component of every adoption and foster placement, and home study requirements are determined by state statutes.

Information about home study requirements, qualifications and approval are available on our Adoption in California page.

When you are ready to begin the home study process, contact any of these legally qualified home study providers in the L.A. area:

Near Los Angeles:  

• AAC – Alpha Adoption Centers
  877-955-2122
  Alpha Adoption Centers is a nonprofit adoption agency licensed by the state of California to provide domestic home studies and post-placement services for Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles and San Diego county residents.
• Los Angeles County DCFS
  213-351-0224
  Through DCFS’ Independent Adoption Program, the department provides information and assists families in completing their adoption home studies.
• Nightlight Christian Adoptions714-693-5437
  Nightlight’s California office provides domestic, international and embryo adoption home study services for Southern California residents in Imperial, Los Angeles, orange, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.

In California:  

• Lilliput Children’s Services
  800-325-5359
  Lilliput is licensed to do adoption home studies for private domestic adoptions.

Visit 1800HomeStudy.com to learn more about California home study providers.

Hospitals in Los Angeles

If you are an expectant mother making an adoption plan for your baby, you will have many choices throughout the adoption process, including complete control over your hospital stay. You will create a hospital plan, which includes your preferences for who is in the delivery room with you, how much you will interact with the adoptive family, and more.

The delivery hospital will be aware of your hospital plan ahead of time to ensure a smooth labor and delivery process. When you are ready to make your hospital plan, here are some local hospitals that you may be able to work with:

• Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
  8700 Beverly Blvd.
  Los Angeles, CA 90048
  310-4-CEDARS (423-3277)
• The BirthPlace Santa Monica1250 16^th Street
  Santa Monica, CA 90404
  424-259-8250
• The BirthPlace Westwood757 Westwood Plaza
  Los Angeles, CA 90095
  310-825-9111
• Dignity Health California Hospital Medical Center1401 S. Grand Ave.
  Los Angeles, CA 90015
  213-748-2411
• East LA Doctors Hospital
  4060 E. Whittier Blvd.
  Los Angeles, CA 90023
  323-268-5514
• White Memorial Medical Center1720 Cesar E. Chavez Ave.
  Los Angeles, CA 90033
  323-268-5000
• Centinela Hospital Medical Center
  555 E. Hardy St.
  Inglewood, CA 90301
  310-673-4660
• West Hills Hospital and Medical Center
  7300 Medical Center Dr.
  West Hills, CA 91307
  818-676-4000
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital1680 E. 120^th Street
  Los Angeles, CA 90059
  424-338-8000

Adoption Laws and Qualifications

Hopeful adoptive parents and pregnant women considering adoption in Los Angeles commonly have questions about L.A. adoption laws, qualifications and processes. Adoption laws are determined by the state and can be found on our California adoption information page. Below is an overview of some of the types of laws and regulations impacting adoptive and birth parents in Los Angeles.

For Birth Parents

Many birth mothers and fathers have questions about the laws, rules and qualifications for placing a baby for adoption in Los Angeles. Information about adoption consent, relinquishment, birth father rights and more is available here.

For Adoptive Families

Adoptive parents will need to meet certain eligibility requirements before adopting or fostering a child in California. State laws also regulate adoption expenses that can be paid by adoptive families, adoption finalization requirements, and more. These laws and regulations for adoptive families in California are available on our state adoption information page.

County Courts

The final step in the legal adoption process is finalization. If you are finalizing your adoption in Los Angeles, California, find your local courthouse and other information about finalizing your adoption in your county:

• Ventura County
• San Bernardino County
• Riverside County
• Los Angeles County
• Orange County

Things to do in Los Angeles

Many parents who adopt from sunny California end up spending some time in L.A., either visiting prospective birth parents or waiting for their ICPC paperwork to be processed. If your adoption plan brings you to southern California, consider visiting the following local attractions:

• Universal Studios Hollywood
• The Getty Center
• California Science Center
• Santa Monica Bay
• The Grove
• The Grammy Museum