Whether you are interested in adoption as an expectant mother or a prospective adoptive parent in Richmond, Virginia, the following information will tell you everything you need to know about the adoption process.
Read on for more information about local adoption and foster care professionals, home study providers and other Richmond adoption and foster care services. For more information about state adoption laws, resources and processes, visit our
Adoption in Virginia page.
Richmond Adoption Agencies and Adoption Professionals
Pregnant women and adoptive families have many options when choosing an adoption professional, from national agencies to adoption attorneys.
If you are interested in working with an adoption professional in the Richmond area, here are some local adoption professionals near you:
Find more adoption professionals, along with other adoption information, on our
Virginia adoption page.
Richmond Foster Care Resources
The process and requirements to become a foster parent are determined by state laws. In Virginia, a prospective foster parent should attend an orientation meeting and complete a home study and foster parent training.
The professionals and resources below can provide additional information about becoming a foster parent in Richmond:
Find additional information through our
Virginia adoption information page, or contact the
department of social services.
Home Study Providers in Richmond
The home study is an important part of the adoption and foster care process in Richmond. The Virginia home study is a mutual assessment and educational process that evaluates prospective parents and ensures they are ready to add to their family through adoption.
Information about the Virginia home study is included on our
Virginia adoption page. To begin the home study process, contact a qualified professional near you:
Near Richmond:
- Adoptions from the Heart
1-888-630-8842
Adoptions from the Heart provides home study services to families seeking private domestic adoption and international adoption.
In Virginia:
- Loving Families
703-370-7140
Adoption Home Studies by Loving Families, Inc., is a small child-placing agency that will work with your placing agency to complete your home study within five to six weeks.
- Cradle of Hope Adoption Center
703-352-4806
Cradle of Hope Adoption Center is a licensed, nonprofit, Hague-accredited adoption agency providing home study, placement and post-placement adoption services to families adopting domestically and internationally.
Visit 1800HomeStudy.com to learn more about
Virginia home study providers.
Hospitals in Richmond
As an expectant mother making an adoption plan, you will have an opportunity to plan your hospital stay as your due date approaches. This plan will outline how you want the labor and delivery to go and who you want to share the experience with.
Your adoption professional will work with you, the adoptive family and the delivery hospital to ensure everyone is aware of your hospital plan when the big day comes. Here are some Richmond area hospitals that you may be working with:
- VCU Health
1250 East Marshall Street
Richmond, VA 23298
804-828-5021
Adoption Laws and Qualifications
Adoption is a legal process, and couples and individuals considering adoption should work closely with an adoption professional to understand
Virginia adoption laws and qualifications. Read on to learn more about adoption requirements for birth parents and adoptive families in Richmond and throughout the state.
For Birth Parents
To legally complete an adoption, birth parents must sign paperwork relinquishing their parental rights after the child is born. Information about executing consent, along with other birth parent rights and legal responsibilities, is available on our
Adoption in Virginia page.
For Adoptive Families
Prospective parents in Virginia must meet certain state criteria and follow laws regulating adoption finalization, adoption expenses and more. Information about these and other adoption and foster care laws is available
here.
County Courts
Before an adoption is legally complete, it must be finalized in court. Your adoption attorney will work with you to ensure your adoption is finalized legally. To finalize an adoption in the Greater Richmond Region, find your county information below:
Things to Do in Richmond
If you are adopting from out of state, you will be required to stay in Virginia for a week or two until your ICPC paperwork is processed. If you find yourself waiting for ICPC approval or visiting prospective birth parents in the Richmond area, here are some local attractions to keep you busy during your stay:
