Adoption services
Adoption is the process that transfers the legal rights, responsibilities and rewards of being a parent. The rights and responsibilities of the birth parents are permanently terminated and assumed by other people who become the child’s legal parent(s). Adoptive parents have the same rights and responsibilities as birth parents.
The County of Santa Clara's Social Services Agency provides a full range of adoption services, serving both those who are considering adopting a child and those who want to give up a child for adoption.
Adoption services
Here's an overview of our adoptive services.
Adopting a child
Adoption involves a permanent and legal change in relationship when a child legally becomes the child of another family. Deciding whether or not the plan of adoption is the right choice for you and your child may be the most emotion-filled decision that you will ever have to make. We're here to support your journey, starting with your decision-making.
Post-adoption support
The Department of Family and Children Post Adoption Services team understands that the needs of the adoptive parents and their children do not end when the adoption process concludes. We continue to offer our support as your family begins a new journey and can help you explore post-adoption resources.
Make an adoptive plan for your child
If you want to make an adoptive plan for your child, the Santa Clara County Social Services Adoption Agency can explore the option of voluntary relinquishment with you. A relinquishment is the legal process by which parents voluntarily and permanently give up their parental rights to a child for adoption by another.
Once relinquishment documents have been completed and filed with the California Department of Social Services, the relinquishing parent’s rights are permanently terminated.
Why adopt?
Each year, more than 1,500 children in the County were placed in supervised foster care placement. Many of them experienced parental neglect, abuse, or exploitation and need permanent homes.
The County of Santa Clara's Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS) aims to find caring adoptive homes for these children.
We look to the community to provide homes where the children can experience love and care. As children are the future, our priority is to help them grow and thrive in a stable and supportive environment.
Children in need
Mirroring our diverse community, the County's foster children come from families of various ethnic backgrounds. At DFCS, we pride ourselves in matching children with families that support and understand their needs. Our goal is to ease each child's trauma of leaving their current home by providing a stable, loving environment that can become their permanent home if needed.
We have children of all ages, including many sibling groups. The majority of our children are of color. Our greatest needs are to find adoptive homes for:
- Sibling groups with two or more related children
- Boys aged seven through nine
- Infants and preschoolers with special needs
- Teenagers