Adoption In Other Religions

Many adoption agencies in the United States have a history of being founded by a particular religious organization, or even by one person who happens to be part of a major religion.

Today, many adoption agencies are still affiliated with a particular faith or religion. Adoption agencies in religions such as Catholic, Jewish, Lutheran, are usually recognizable by their name (Catholic Charities, Jewish Family Services, Lutheran Family Services, etc.).

These agencies typically do not require a hopeful adoptive family to be of the same faith as the agency.

In recent years, some religious affiliated agencies have discontinued their adoption agency services, but still provide counseling and consultation services to hopeful adoptive families and expectant mothers.

Every single person or couple that wishes to adopt must complete a home study, where an agency or social worker will interview them to determine if they are a good fit to adopt a child. During the home study, there likely will be about religion or faith preferences.

In private domestic adoptions, the expectant mother chooses the adoptive parents for her child. She may have very specific religious preferences for her child. She may want the adoptive parents to be of a particular religion. It is important for everyone involved in the adoption to be completely honest about their religious practices and preferences.

In foster adoptions, social workers try hard to match children with loving families. Depending on the child and the situation, religion can be a factor in matching them with the right family. A recent national survey conducted by the US Department of Health and Human Services, found that almost 80% of all adopted children attend religious services at least monthly.

With international adoptions, most countries do not discriminate hopeful adoptive families based on their religious beliefs. However, some agencies who match families with children in their care can be reluctant to select families that have mixed religious beliefs (both parents are not of the same religion.)

Here are some of the larger religious adoption agencies or places to find an agency near you:

• Catholic Charities (sometimes called Catholic Social Services)
• Jewish Family Services
• United Methodist Church Child and Youth Services
• Lutheran Family Services
• Baptist Family Services
• Christian adoption agencies