Considering adoption: Start here

Every child deserves love and stability.

When reunification or kinship care isn’t an option, adoption can provide a path to a permanent, supportive home—and an opportunity for you to make a lasting impact on a young person’s life. Learn more about adoption.

Youth in foster care are like all other children and teens.

They are funny, vibrant, and have exciting lives ahead of them. They need love, support, and connection. And they all deserve a permanent family who loves and accepts them as they are.

Many of these youth have experienced trauma, such as abuse, neglect, or loss. Systemic factors like racism, poverty, criminal justice system inequalities, and implicit bias can affect families’ navigation of and interactions with the foster care system.

Furthermore, youth of color and LGBTQ+ youth are overrepresented in the foster care system. Some youth may have unique medical needs, be neurodiverse, or seek adoption alongside their siblings.

Unfortunately, misconceptions about why young people enter care persist, making it harder for them to be adopted.

No child or youth enters foster care because of anything they did. Rather, they required care because their state’s child protection agency determined their home environment to be unsafe.

As you consider opening your home to a youth in foster care, learn more about who the youth are.

Most children seeking adoption from foster care are 10 years old or older.

Children younger than 10 are more likely to be reunited with their biological families or placed with relatives, making adoption less of a focus.

Teens and older youth have the greatest need for an adoptive family. Teens make up nearly 80 percent of all youth with profiles on our website and often spend much longer in foster care than younger children. Learn more about the impact and rewards of adopting a teen.

With more than 40 years of experience, Northwest Adoption Exchange supports families and individuals in Washington state who are looking to parent from foster care.

We offer:

• Information and personalized support, including information sessions and one-on-one meetings.
• Family accounts and profiles, helping families connect with youth.
• Opportunities to match with youth, such as Youth-Led Permanency Consultations and the Washington State Adoption Consortium.
• Ways to learn about youth, including youth profiles and in-depth profiles created by our youth engagement specialists.

We want to partner with you throughout the entire adoption journey, offering resources and guidance.

For families already licensed to adopt in Washington state, we offer enhanced support through a personalized family account that grants access to additional resources and youth profiles.

Whether you're just starting to think about adopting, are a licensed foster parent, or are an experienced adoptive family, we're here to support you every step of the way. Learn more about how we can help you!

Adoption is a meaningful and rewarding journey, but it also comes with challenges.

Understanding your motivations will help you navigate the process with clarity and confidence. Check out our nine questions to consider.

We recommend beginning with our nine-step guide for adoption. It simplifies the process by offering details on everything from licensing and training to finding an agency to meeting youth and more.

If you are just getting started and want to learn more about the process sign up to join an information session!

For potential parents who are ready to schedule a meeting with one of our family engagement specialists connect with us.

We’re here to support you every step of the way.