How long does it take to adopt a child from a U.S. orphanage?
Hi JaniceeLynn, The U.S. does not have orphanages where you “just walk in, pick out a child, sign the papers and then poof, you have a kid.” Children who are waiting for permanent families are temporarily in state-approved foster homes living with other families. There are currently half a million such children in the U.S., of which approx 130,000 are legally available for adoption right now. That means their parents’ rights have already been relinquished or terminated by a court. The rest may or may not eventually go back to live with their own families. What you would need to do is contact your state’s dept of children & family services or human services and let them know you are interested in learning more about how to get started to become adoptive parents. There is foster care only, adoption only, or foster-to-adopt options. In all of these, there will be classes to take. You will have to pass a home study before you can be approved. This will include everything about your life, y
