5 easy steps to adoption

1 Get in touch

2 We'll do an intake

This helps us understand everything that we need to get your case moving.

3 Sign the paperwork

After we sort through your information and gather all your documents, we’ll meet you at your home or our office to review and sign. Next step is submitting them to the court!

4 We'll submit your request to the court

At this phase, we file everything with the court. If any parties need more documentation, we’ll be in contact with you quickly to help you gather the information we need.

5 The court assigns you a hearing date

After the court reviews your paperwork, they will assign you an adoption hearing date. We’ll contact you to prepare you with everything you need to have a joyful adoption hearing.

Attend the hearing and get your adoption granted!

Let's get the process started!

Frequently Asked Questions

If I am married do I have to adopt with my spouse? Or if we are adopting together is there a certain amount of time we must be married to adopt?

If you are married you do not have to adopt together. However, all adults in the home will need to be fingerprinted and/or have a fingerprint clearance card. There is no time frame regarding marriage if you are adopting a child in DCS care. If you are petitioning for a step-parent adoption, then you must be married one year. You must also be married one year to request a waiver of the social study.

Must I be certified to adopt? If so how long does that take?

You do not have to be certified to adopt if the following applies to you: Prospective adoptive parent is the spouse of the birth or legal parent of the child to be adopted or is an uncle, aunt, adult sibling, grandparent or great-grandparent of the child of the whole or half-blood or by marriage or adoption.

You also do not have to be certified to adopt if you are a licensed foster parent.

You do not have to be certified to adopt if you have adopted a child within three years preceding the current application and are applying to adopt another child. However, the department, the agency or an entity contracted by the department or a person designated by the court will need to conduct an investigation and provide an updated report on any changes in circumstances that have occurred since the previous certification.

The certification process can take up to 6 months to a year. However, every case is different and certification can be sooner or later than that time frame.

What kinds of issues can delay my adoption?

An appeal filed by either of the birth parents regarding the Termination of their Parental Rights can delay an adoption. An adoption hearing cannot occur until the appeal is concluded. Generally, an appeal can take 3 to 4 months.

If there are errors on the final Order Terminating Parental Rights can also delay an adoption. Often names or dates of births of the parties are listed incorrectly or paternity issues are not resolved and those issues must be corrected prior to an adoption hearing.

Delays in receiving fingerprint results or fingerprint clearance cards can delay an adoption. Every adult in the home must have either submitted their fingerprints to the court with the results received and approved by the court or applied and received a fingerprint clearance card prior to an adoption hearing.

Our office can assist you in obtaining your fingerprint clearance card. Please note that the typical processing time by the Department of Public Safety is 4 to 6 weeks but can be longer if a person has any sort of criminal record or if DPS is processing a high volume of applications. It is best to apply for a card at the beginning of the adoption process.

What items does my DCS case manager need to submit?

The assigned adoption case managers must ensure that the Department’s Consent has been filed. Since the child is in the legal custody of DCS, the Department must consent to the adoption in writing. The case manager will also turn in the home study for the adoption and the DCSCR. These two documents are basically to prove fitness to adopt.

It is also essential that the adoption subsidy paperwork has been submitted and approved before the adoption hearing. The adoption subsidy must be approved before the hearing can take place.

It is important to note that the adoption case managers are all very knowledgeable of the process and experienced. We rarely have any issues regarding the documentation needed by the Department.

Does my child need to be present at the adoption hearing? Does my child need to say if he/she agrees to be adopted?

Yes, the children will need to be present at the adoption hearing. If the child is 12 or over, the child will need to consent to adoption both at the hearing and on paper by signing a Consent to Adopt.

If I am adopting a Native American Child are there any special requirements?

Yes, the child’s tribe and the Bureau of Indian Affairs will need to be provided notice of the adoption hearing. Often a representative of the tribe will call into the adoption hearing. Some tribes ask that adoptive parents try to teach the children about tribal culture. If that applies to your case, we will make sure you are aware of that request.

Does and ICPC adoption (for parents that live outside the state of Arizona) take longer?

It depends on your state. An ICPC report must be completed by a case manager in your state. That report is submitted to our court for the adoption to proceed.

Will my home need to be visited or a home study need to be completed?

Generally in a Petition for Termination of Parental Rights, a Guardian ad Litem(“GAL”) is appointed for your child. A GAL is a best interest attorney that gives recommendations to the court regarding your petition. The GAL or his or her social worker will need to visit your home and interview your child.

In both a severance and adoption, the statutes require that a social study be conducted. However, in some cases this requirement can be waived. The court decides if it is appropriate to waive the social study. If the court declines to the waive the social study, an organization that is qualified to conduct a social study will need to be contracted. Social studies generally cost $500 to $1000.