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Adoption at The Home

The Adoption Program at The Home for Little Wanderers is dedicated to helping the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) find and prepare permanent families for children of all ages. Our program provides all the necessary training, licensing, matching, and supportive services for families to adopt. We offer couples and single persons of all races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, socio-economic backgrounds and religions the opportunity to start or add to their families.

For more information about our Search and Reunion Program, to find adopted adults and birth parents, click here.


The Kids

The Home’s Adoption Program predominantly places school aged children with our adoptive families however there are children as young as 3 and as old as 18 waiting for adoptive homes. Children served by DCF come from a variety of backgrounds and most have experienced multiple types of maltreatment such as neglect or abuse. Due to their trauma, children often present challenging behaviors and have emotional/behavioral, developmental or medical needs. Most children in DCF custody with a goal of adoption live in foster homes, though some are in group care programs. The children represent all racial and ethnic backgrounds, and many are in sibling groups.

Our Adoptive Parents

The Home welcomes adoptive families from all backgrounds and family structures. We are proud to be an organization that defines family in a broad manner knowing that permanent connections are the goal for all children.

Adoptive parents are subject to background checks and must provide a safe, clean home with adequate space for the child. Parents must meet the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ standard for licensing.

Could you be an adoptive parent with The Home?
Do you reside in the Greater Boston area (up to 45 minutes from our office)?
Do you want to expand your family?
Do you have adequate space in your home to share with a child?
Do you have a strong support system? Do you believe in trauma-informed care?

If the answer is yes to the above questions this may be a great fit for you!

Our Services

Information Sessions
Information sessions are quick and easy way to learn more about our program and get your questions answered. We typically host information sessions a few times a year at our office, and occasionally out in the community. For our upcoming Information Sessions check out our MAPP Training page.

MAPP Training
MAPP is the Massachusetts Approach to Partnerships in Parenting Training. This is a free 30-hour course required by Department of Children and Families (DCF). To learn more, check out our MAPP Training page.

Pre-Placement Support Group
Our pre-placement support group is offered monthly to all individuals and couples who have completed MAPP at The Home and are pursuing adoption. Groups offer peer support, educational opportunities and community building. Groups are typically held the first Monday of the month from 6:30pm-8:30pm at our office.

Home Study Assessment
The home study is a process, occurring after MAPP, facilitated by your assigned family resource worker. It requires engagement by all household members. This process includes meeting physical standards of the home, completion and collection of forms and documentation, and in-depth interviews. The purpose of the home study is to obtain a pre-adoptive license.

Licensing
Your license as a pre-adoptive resource must be maintained on an annual basis. We provide the necessary services to maintain your license through ongoing monthly home visits, collection of necessary paperwork and required interviews.

Matching
After being licensed you finally have the opportunity to find the child(ren) who are the right fit to join your home. This is a collaborative process between you, your family resource worker, DCF and other service providers to assure a successful match. Matching time can vary based on many variables, including the age of child interested in, openness to sibling sets, and children currently residing in your home, but the process can typically take 6 to 18 months.

Post-Placement Support Group
Our post-placement support group is offered monthly to all individuals and couples who have completed MAPP at The Home and have matched and been placed with a child in their home. Groups offer peer support, educational opportunities and community building. Groups are typically held the first Saturday of the month from 10am-11:30am at our office.

Steps to Matching
1. Fill out the Pre-Screen Form
2. Complete MAPP Training
3. Submit a completed application packet
4. Get assigned a Family Resource Worker to engage in the Home Study process
5. Get licensed
6. Start matching


Post Adoption Search and Reunion 

The Home recognizes that adoption is a lifelong process. Families may need support at various times after the adoption has become legal. The Home offers search services for birth parents and adult adopted persons whose adoptions were facilitated by The New England Home for Little Wanderers, Boston Children's Services Association, and Church Home Society. We provide non-identifying information from the file, facilitate reunions and provide support during the process. Please contact Andrea Scott at 617-288-7450.

All requests for information must be submitted on our inquiry specific, signed, notarized application.

Siblings and other relatives wishing engage search services, should also ontact Andrea Scott at 617-288-7450 regarding access to information.


The Adoption Program at The Home for Little Wanderers is affiliated with the following organizations:

• The Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange
• Adoption Community of New England 
• The American Adoption Congress
• Adoption Professionals Association of Massachusetts
• National Network of LGBTQ Family Groups with Family Equality

Our program is licensed by the Department of Early Education and Care and accredited by The Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children, Inc. If you would like to receive in advance copies of any documents that you will be asked to sign throughout the adoption process, please let us know. It is the Home's practice to give families various applicable documents in stages corresponding to each phase of the adoption.

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Have questions? Want to get started?
Call us or email us today!
(617)-288-7450
adoptioninfo@thehome.org

Or complete our prescreen form and we’ll contact you