Baltimore Adoption & Foster Care Resources

As a prospective adoptive or birth parent in Baltimore, you likely have many questions about how to adopt or place a baby for adoption in Maryland. There are many adoption and foster care resources and professionals in your area who may be able to assist you.
Learn more about adoption in Baltimore below, and find additional information about adoption laws, processes and qualifications on our Adoption in Maryland page.

Baltimore Adoption Agencies and Adoption Professionals

To begin the adoption process, many hopeful adoptive parents and pregnant women considering adoption first choose an adoption professional to help guide them through the process.
You have many choices when selecting an adoption professional. If you are interested in working with an adoption agency or attorney near Baltimore, consider the following:

• Adoption Makes Family
• Adoptions Together
• The Barker Adoption Foundation
• Catholic Charities

Many national adoption agencies and other professionals throughout Maryland also serve the Baltimore area.

How to Become a Foster Parent in Baltimore

Being a foster parent or adopting from the foster system can be a rewarding way to grow your family. Prior to beginning the foster care or foster-to-adopt process in Baltimore, all prospective parents must meet certain Maryland state requirements. These requirements can be found on our Maryland adoption information page.
If you are ready to become a foster parent or if you have additional questions, contact a foster care professional in the Baltimore area:

• Children’s Choice
• WIN Family Services
• KidsPeace

Home Study Providers in Baltimore

For adoptive and foster parents, the home study is one of the most important parts of the process. The Maryland home study process includes criminal records checks, financial information, personal interviews and more.
For more information about what to expect during the home study process, visit our How to Adopt in Maryland page.
It is important to choose the right professional to complete your adoption home study and ensure it complies with all state laws and requirements. To get started, contact a licensed home study provider in your area:

• Adoption Makes Family, Inc.410-683-2100
  Adoption Makes Family, Inc. is a licensed, nonprofit adoption agency that focuses on providing international and domestic home studies.
• Cradle of Hope Adoption Center, Inc.301-587-4400
  Cradle of Hope Adoption Center is a licensed, nonprofit, Hague-accredited adoption agency providing home study, placement and post-adoption services to families adopting in the U.S. and overseas.
• Global Adoption Services410-569-9384
  Global Adoption Services, Inc. is a licensed and Hague-accredited nonprofit adoption agency serving families seeking home studies and post-adoption services.
• Creative Adoptions, Inc.301-596-1521
  Creative Adoptions is able to provide home studies, updates and post-placement services for Maryland residents.
• Adoptions Together301-439-2900
  Adoptions Together offers home studies for families adopting through their placement programs and to families adopting through other agencies and attorneys.

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

Hospitals in Baltimore

One of the most emotional parts of the adoption process, both for birth parents and adoptive families, is the time spent in the hospital when the baby is born. It is entirely up to the birth mother to decide how she would like her hospital stay to go.
If you are making an adoption plan for your baby, you will work with your adoption professional and your delivery hospital to ensure everything happens exactly as you want it to. When you are ready to begin creating your hospital plan, here are some Baltimore area hospitals that may be able to assist you:

• The Family Childbirth & Children’s Center at Mercy345 St. Paul Place
  Baltimore, MD 21202
  800-636-3729
• Saint Agnes Hospital900 Caton Avenue
  Baltimore, MD 21229
  667-234-6000
• Greater Baltimore Medical Center6701 N. Charles Street
  Baltimore, MD 21204
  443-849-2597
• Sinai Hospital2401 W. Belvedere Ave.
  Baltimore, MD 21215
  410-601-2470
• University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center7601 Osler Drive
  Towson, MD 21204
  410-337-1000
• John Hopkins Hospital1800 Orleans Street
  Baltimore, MD 21287
  410-955-5000

Adoption Laws and Qualifications

Many local adoptive and birth parents have questions about Baltimore adoption laws and regulations. These laws are determined by the state and are the same in Baltimore as they are anywhere else in the state. The following provides an overview of the types of laws regulating Maryland adoptions.
Adoption Laws for Birth Parents
Some of the most important adoption laws for prospective birth parents are those regarding consent and relinquishment. Information about executing consent, protecting birth father rights and more is included in our Maryland adoption information.
Laws for Adoptive Families
Hopeful adoptive parents often wonder what types of adoption professionals they can work with, what adoption expenses they can pay, and even whether they meet the eligibility requirements to adopt in Maryland. This information, along with other Maryland adoption laws and home study information, can be found here.
County Courts
At the end of the adoption process, every adoption must be legally finalized in court. If you are adopting in Baltimore, Maryland, find information about finalizing your adoption in your county below:

• Anne Arundel County
• Baltimore County
• Carroll County
• Harford County
• Howard County
• Queen Anne’s County

Things to do in Baltimore

If you are adopting a child from the Baltimore area, you may find yourself spending some time in the city, either visiting prospective birth parents or waiting for ICPC clearances. Here are some fun local attractions to visit if you are looking for ways to spend your time in Baltimore:

• The Walters Art Museum
• Fort McHenry National Monument
• National Aquarium, Baltimore
• Fell’s Point
• American Visionary Art Museum
• Baltimore Museum of Art