[AZInsider]

I know this is really old but for others that might come across it with similar questions...

Originally Posted by azhellos

I was just wondering do all the agencies require the same thing from the prospective adoptive parents?

No. There are basic legal requirements that ALL agencies must follow, but then agencies can set additional rules over and above those based on their philosophy.

Do they offer the same children?

Yes. All agencies are notified by CPS of the children needing placement each day. The pool of children needing homes does not vary by agency.

Do they all work with the same age children? Do some offer infants and others not?

They all have the same pool of children - newborn to 18.

Do they all offer Foster/Adopt?

Yes and no. The old idea of fost/adopt, meaning you get a foster placement that you know is going to turn into an adoptive placement 100% doesn't really exist anymore. Foster parents are usually given the first opportunity (after relatives of course) to adopt if a child does need an adoptive placement, but you don't necessarily know that at the time of placement. Reunification is almost always the first case plan.

That said, not all agencies are able to do adoption certifications or conversions. If you want to be in the adoption registry then make sure you pick an agency that does adoptions. If you foster and then choose to adopt, another agency can do the conversion.

What is the differences?

Agencies differ based on services they provide (some have counseling, some do private as well as state adoption, etc), their philosophy, religious affiliations, demographics they do or do not work with, and so on.

I am looking to foster/adopt a fairly healthy sibbling group between the ages of 0 and 5. Is their certaint agencies I should stick with? HOw do I find out?

You'll have a hard time determining "fairly healthy" particularly when it comes to foster placements. Agencies aren't typically given a lot of info when placements are first made. And if you adopt through the registry then you can expect that the children waiting for homes have some behaviors, medical needs, developmental needs, etc. that have unfortunately been hard to place them with an adoptive home. Right now most of the kids legally free for adoption and without an adoptive resource in Arizona are at least 10 years old. Most of the kids under 10 are fortunate enough to be placed in foster homes from the start and often times the foster parents end up adopting them.

Is their any benefit to registering with more than one agency?

You can't. You can only be certified or licensed with one agency, period. Once you are licensed your file goes in the same registry or pool of homes as every other agency, so there's no reason to think you'd even need to be working with multiple agencies.


I hope that helps! Definitely look for a KIDS Orientation to attend - they'll answer a lot of questions for you. The schedule can be found on the DES website under Foster Care & Adoption.