Columbia Adoption & Foster Care Resources

As a prospective adoptive or birth parent in Columbia, you are likely looking for answers to your questions about adopting or placing a baby for adoption in South Carolina. Fortunately, there are many adoption and foster care resources and professionals in your area who can give you this information.
Learn more about adoption in Columbia below, and find additional information about adoption laws, processes and qualifications on our Adoption in South Carolina page.

Columbia 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 Columbia, consider the following:

• The Law Offices of James Fletcher Thompson, LLC
• Christian Family Services
• South Carolina Department of Social Services Region II
• The Bair Foundation

Many national adoption agencies and other professionals throughout South Carolina also serve the Columbia area.

How to Become a Foster Parent in Columbia

Being a foster parent or adopting from the foster system can be a rewarding experience. Prior to beginning the foster care or foster-to-adopt process in Columbia, all prospective parents must meet certain South Carolina requirements for foster parents.
If you are ready to become a foster parent or if you have additional questions, contact a foster care professional in the Columbia area:

• South Carolina Youth Advocate Program
• South Carolina Mentor
• South Carolina Foster Parent Association

Home Study Providers in Columbia

For adoptive and foster parents, it is one of the most important parts of the process: the home study. The South Carolina home study process includes criminal records checks, personal interviews and more.
For more information about what to expect during the home study process, visit our How to Adopt in South Carolina 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 Matters, Inc. (SC)
  843-480-2111
  Adoption Matters, Inc. is a nonprofit child placing agency licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina. The agency offers home studies and post-placement supervision in addition to options counseling, stepparent adoptions and supportive counseling for all members of the adoption triad.
• Carolina Adoption Services
  800-632-9312
  Carolina Adoption Services (CAS) is licensed to provide adoption home study services in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

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

Hospitals in Columbia

For birth parents and adoptive families alike, the baby’s birth is one of the most emotional parts of the adoption process. If you are making an adoption plan for your baby as a prospective birth mother, it will be entirely up to you to decide how you want this experience to go.
You will work with your adoption professional and your delivery hospital to create a hospital plan. When you are ready to take this step, here are some Columbia hospitals that may be able to assist you:

• Birthplace at Palmetto Health Baptist
  Taylor at Marion Street
  Columbia, SC 29220
  803-296-5010
• Birthplace at Baptist Parkridge
  400 Palmetto Health Parkway
  Columbia, SC 29212
  803-907-7000
• Birthplace at Palmetto Health Richland
  5 Richland Medical Park Drive
  Columbia, SC 29203
  803-434-7000
• Lexington Medical Center Birth Center
  2720 Sunset Boulevard
  West Columbia, SC 29169
  803-791-BABY

Adoption Laws and Qualifications

Adoptive and birth parents often have questions about Columbia adoption laws and regulations. These laws are determined by the state and are the same in Columbia as they are anywhere else in the state. The following provides an overview of the types of laws regulating South Carolina adoptions.
Adoption Laws for Birth Parents
Consent and relinquishment are some of the major legal processes for birth parents and women considering adoption in South Carolina. Information about consent and relinquishment laws, protecting birth father rights and more is included in our South Carolina 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 South Carolina. This information, along with other South Carolina 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 Columbia, South Carolina, find information about finalizing your adoption in your county below:

• Calhoun County
• Fairfield County
• Kershaw County
• Lexington County
• Richland County

Things to do in Columbia

If you are adopting a child from Columbia, 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 Columbia:

• Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Garden
• South Carolina State House
• South Carolina State Museum
• Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park
• Columbia Museum of Art