Adoption is the establishment of a legally recognized, lifelong relationship between adoptive parents and the adoptee(s) in question. Adoptive parents become the child’s legal parent. Their lifelong commitment and responsibility are no less important than if the child was born to them.

The children available for adoption through Judson Center come from Michigan’s foster care system. They are in foster care due to abuse, neglect, death or abandonment by their birth families. Their parent’s rights have been terminated by the court. The children who wait range in age from 0-17 years old however, most are between the ages of 12-17. They come from all racial and cultural backgrounds. Some children are a part of a sibling group and it is in their best interest to have them be adopted together. Many of the children who are waiting for an adoptive family have special needs.

Due to the past experiences of children in foster care, many have special physical, medical, behavioral, emotional, educational, or mental health needs. Many require increased supervision in the home, therapy, or special education services. To give you a better idea of the types of special needs we often work with, please review MARE’s impairment level guidelines. We welcome all families who feel comfortable parenting a child with needs in at least one of these areas.

No. Single individuals can adopt a child. If an unmarried couple is interested in adoption, both adults can be studied as household members, but per Michigan law, only one can legally adopt the child.

If you wish to adopt a child from Michigan’s foster care system, there is no fee for the completion of your family assessment. However, you will be responsible for court filing fees at the time an adoption is filed, which averages around $200, and $50 for a new Michigan birth certificate.

For families who are able to attend the necessary training classes and submit the required documents in a timely manner, Judson Center can complete your home assessment for adoption in about 90 days. A dual assessment for foster care and adoption may require an additional 30 days.

Once a family has an approved home assessment for adoption, matching with a child may take anywhere from 3 months to over a year. The length of time varies based on how specific a family is about the type of child they wish to adopt, and whether or not they are looking for the type of child most commonly available for adoption.

Once a family is matched with a child, the adoption process can take anywhere from three months to a year, depending on a variety of factors, including whether a child adapts well to the family, whether or not the family is licensed for foster care, and whether there are any additional barriers to the adoption.

There are many post-adoption resources such as support groups, therapy, crisis intervention, respite care and referral services. Please visit the Post Adoption Resource Center (PARC)’s page to learn more about post-adoption resources.

Judson Center is an agency that puts customer service at the forefront of everything we do. We are dedicated to helping children and families improve their lives, and we do that through strength-based solution-focused services. We treat you like part of our family!

As of May, 2018, there are 350 children photo listed on MARE who are available for adoption without an identified adoptive family, and 80% of these children are over the age of 10. When it comes to adoptive families, the greatest need is for families who can say yes to at least one of the following questions:

• Are you willing to pursue adoption of two children simultaneously (siblings)?
• Are you willing to parent a child with moderate or severe needs in any area? Visit Child Functioning Level Guidelines on MARE (add link)
• Are you willing to adopt a child over the age of 10?