New Orleans Adoption & Foster Care Resources

If you live in New Orleans and are considering adoption, either as a prospective adoptive parent or as a woman facing an unplanned pregnancy, you likely have questions about local adoption resources, laws and processes. Here, find information about New Orleans adoption agencies, home study providers and other local adoption and foster care services. For more information about adoption and foster care throughout Louisiana, visit our state adoption information page.

 Adoption Professionals and Adoption Agencies in New Orleans

The professional you choose to work with through your adoption journey will guide you through the process and provide the services and support you need to complete your adoption in New Orleans. If you are interested in working with a local or regional adoption agency in New Orleans, the following adoption professionals can help you complete your adoption in accordance with all Louisiana adoption requirements:

• Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans
• A Bond of Life Adoptions
• Volunteers of America – Greater New Orleans Adoption Program

Additional adoption agencies and resources can be found on our Louisiana adoption page.

Foster Care Professionals in New Orleans

Foster care programs, requirements and processes are determined by the state. In New Orleans, foster parents must meet the following Louisiana requirements:

• Have bedroom space for the child
• Have fewer than five children under the age of 18
• Pass a home safety inspection
• Be physically and mentally healthy
• Pass criminal background and child abuse registry checks
• Have enough income to meet the child’s needs

Some agencies have additional training or requirements for the parents they work with. Contact a local foster care agency for more information about the process to become a foster parent in Louisiana:

• Crossroads NOLA
• Louisiana Foster & Adoptive Parent Association
• Raintree Children & Family Services

For more information about foster care throughout the state, visit our Louisiana adoption information page or the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services.

Home Study Providers in New Orleans

Whether you are interested in adopting an infant through a private domestic adoption agency or becoming a foster parent in New Orleans, you will need to complete a home study that meets Louisiana state requirements. The home study process in Louisiana includes personal interviews with the prospective parents, a home inspection, criminal history checks and more. The person or agency conducting the home study must be legally qualified to complete the home study process. Here are some trusted home study providers in your state:

• Beacon House Adoption Services 888-987-6300 Beacon House Adoption Services is a licensed 501c3 nonprofit adoption agency that offers domestic adoption home study services.
• Adoption Home Studies, Inc. 985-264-8982 Mary Marrs is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Louisiana offering adoption home studies and post-placement services.
• Open Arms Adoption Services 318-798-7664 Open Arms Adoption Services offers domestic and international adoption home studies, home study updates and post-placement supervision.

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

Hospitals in New Orleans

When it is finally time for the baby to arrive, it is up to the prospective birth mother to create a hospital plan for her stay. If you are making an adoption plan for your baby, you will have the opportunity to decide who will be in the delivery room with you, how much time you will spend with your baby and the adoptive family, and more. When you are ready to begin planning your hospital stay, your adoption agency will work with the delivery hospital to make them aware of your wishes. Here are some New Orleans hospitals that you may be able to work with:

• Tulane Lakeside Hospital for Women and Children 4700 South I-10 Service Rd W Metairie, LA 70001 504-780-8282
• Ochsner Baptist Family Birthing Center 2700 Napoleon Ave. New Orleans, LA 70115 504-899-9311
• Touro Family Birthing Center 1401 Foucher Street New Orleans, LA 70115 504-897-8210

Laws and Qualifications to Adopt in New Orleans

Adoption is a legal process, and each state has its own legal requirements for adoptive and birth parents. Detailed information about adoption laws, qualifications and processes in New Orleans and throughout the rest of the state is available on our Adoption in Louisiana page. Below is an overview of some of the regulations impacting adoptive parents and birth parents in New Orleans. For Birth Parents: Every adoption involves the legal termination of the birth mother’s and father’s parental rights. If you are considering placing your baby for adoption in New Orleans, get the information you need about birth father rights, executing consent and more here. For Adoptive Parents: To be eligible to adopt in New Orleans, you must meet certain qualifications and complete the Louisiana home study process. Throughout the adoption process, adoptive families must adhere to state laws regulating adoption expenses, adoption finalization, advertising and more. These laws are outlined here. County Courts Adoptions must be finalized in court. If you are adopting in New Orleans, find your local courthouse and other information about finalizing your adoption in your parish:

• Jefferson Parish
• Orleans Parish
• Plaquemines Parish
• St. Bernard Parish
• St. Charles Parish
• St. John the Baptist Parish
• St. Tammany Parish

Things to do in New Orleans

If you are an adoptive parent and your child is born in or around New Orleans, you will likely find yourself in the area visiting your baby’s birth parents or waiting for ICPC clearances. If you are looking for ways to spend your time in New Orleans before returning to your home state, here are some of the top attractions in the area:

• The National WWII Museum
• Jackson Square
• Garden District
• French Quarter
• Preservation Hall