Ohio families can adopt through the Public Children Services Agency or private agencies.
If you hope to adopt a child in Ohio, your search for a child to adopt depends on whether you would like to adopt through the Ohio Public Children Services Agency (PCSA), which facilitates adoption of children in the state foster-care system, or if you would like to adopt through a private agency. Children adopted through PCSA became available through a voluntary termination of parental rights or involuntary proceedings in juvenile court; these children may be older or have special needs. You may consider a private agency if you do not choose a PCSA adoption.
Instructions
1. Decide whether you would like to adopt a child through PCSA, which arranges the adoption of children in the Ohio child-welfare system, including children currently living in foster-care arrangements. Assess your family's ability to permanently care for a child who may be older or have special needs, as many children available through PCSA fit this description.
2. Find the list of local PCSA offices published by the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (DJFS) and made available online. Contact the PCSA office serving the county where your family lives, as each local agency arranges adoptions for a particular county. Ask the local PCSA agency to provide you with information regarding its adoption procedures and to explain how you can find local children available for adoption through PCSA.
3. Seek information regarding private agencies, if you do not plan to adopt through PCSA or wish to find a child with characteristics not often available through PCSA, such a child of newborn age. Review the list of private agencies provided by DJFS in its "Ohio Adoption Guide" publication.
4. Contact organizations from the DJFS list of private agencies to learn more about their requirements and procedures for adoption. Discuss the children available for adoption placement through each particular agency and mention any preferences that you may have regarding a child for adoption, such as the child's age, gender or ethnic background.
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