In 1989, Indiana established a program for hard-to-place children who are in the custody of the state. This is a federally mandated program that Indiana legislated under IC 31-19-27. Over 7,000 Indiana special needs children have been placed with adoptive families since 1990.
The Indiana Adoption Program includes an adoption manager and 19 adoption consultants serving Indiana's 92 counties. The adoption consultants assist in the adoptive placement of waiting children by working collaboratively with families, case managers and service providers.
What your adoption consultant can do for you:
- Clarify DCS policy regarding adoption.
- Assist in interviewing families for waiting children.
- Network and dialogue with various agencies, professionals and other states to help recruit families waiting for children.
- Feature children at adoption fairs and public events to increase the pool of approved families and aid recruitment.
- Help identify adoption resources available for children and families.
- Provide support to waiting families.
- Act as a liaison between families and the children's case managers.
- Provide training, when needed, and support staff in their adoption work.
- Participate in various educational settings, such as conferences and parent trainings, to promote current adoption practices and thinking.
- Meet and photograph children needing recruitment.
- Participate in case conferences relating to permanency when needed.
- Find your adoption consultant:
- Foster parent & service provider payment inquiries: 877-340-0309
- Adoption subsidy questions: 877-265-0086
- Common terms
For more information about the Indiana Adoption Program, call:
1(888)25-ADOPT [1-888-252-3678]
