While some private adoption agencies charge for the approval process, training and evaluation, the states social services foster and adoption services are free. In some cases, a fee may be required for a physical evaluation. Regardless of agency, according to adopt.ky.gov, In Kentucky, “there are 8,084 ​children in out of home care with an average age of 9.8 years. There are 1,774 children with a goal of adoption; of those 1774 children, 855 are legally free for adoption; of those 855 children, 355 children do not have identified families at this time.”

Of those, the greatest percentage are 12 and older (51%), Many have siblings that need care as well, and they represent many different races.

There are several requirements to be eligible for adoption:

  • Interested families must attend an informational meeting
  • Applicants must be at least 21 years old
  • Parents can be married or single
  • Parents should be financially stable and have an income (separate from any financial support offered to foster or adoptive parents for the child’s needs) sufficient to meet their family’s needs
  • Applicants must be able to provide a safe, secure, and healthy home for a child
  • Parents must be in good physical and mental health
  • The home must meet requirements for housing safety and space
  • All adults in the home must successfully complete 30 hours of pre-service preparation training and all paperwork to help them make an informed decision about whether fostering or adopting is appropriate for their family

The process can take approximately 6-9 months.

If you have additional questions, here are some free resources:

Kentucky Foster and Adoptive Parent Training Support NetworkFifteen parent led teams in various locations across the state that provide support, training and recruitment. This is a peer support program for parents, by parents
Phone: (877) 994-9970

Adoption Support for KentuckySixteen adoptive parent support groups throughout the state
Phone: (877) 440-6376

Resource Parent Mentor ProgramExperienced foster and adoptive parents serve as mentors to new foster and adoptive parents during their first six months after approval and placement. This includes weekly calls to respond to questions, concerns or to provide assistance during challenging times.
Phone: (877) 440-6376

Kentucky Foster/Adoptive Care AssociationThis parent-based association is dedicated to the empowerment and encouragement of foster and adoptive families through advocacy and training.
Phone: (502) 570-5897​

 

This informatoin and more can be found at https://adopt.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspx