Albemarle County Department of Social Services provides support to children in foster care with a goal of Adoption who are navigating the legal process to finalization. This includes working to educate, prepare, and facilitate conversation and collaboration between birth families and adoptive families whenever possible. Extensive work is also done with the children and youth to prepare them for adoption and to help them process the loss, grief, and joy involved in this journey. Adoption allows for children who are unable to return home to parents or relatives to become a part of a permanent, loving, and forever family.

For additional information and resources regarding Adoption, please visit the Virginia Department of Social Services.

Post Adoption

Building a family by adoption is fundamentally different than building a family biologically, with lifelong implications for the adopted individual, the adoptive parents, and the birth parents. The Department supports adoptive families post-adoption through monthly financial support, as well as access to a post-adoption worker. Adoption support is available from the Department from the time the adoptee is adopted until age 18, and potentially up to age 21. Families are welcome to contact the Department for assistance, support, resources, and information at any time.

There are also local resources to support families and children on their adoption journey. Adoption Family Preservation services are provided, free of charge through a Virginia Department of Social Services grant. Please see Post-Adoption Services.

Adoption Disclosure Requests

Families and children may have an interest in gaining background information as part of their adoption journey. The Virginia Department of Social Services Adoption Unit maintains a permanency record of all adoptions finalized in Virginia since July 1, 1942. The adult adoptee and various other members of the adoption triad may have access to information in the closed adoption file when certain criteria are met and an application for disclosure is submitted to the VDSS Adoption Unit.

To request information, please complete the Adoptee Application for Disclosure and follow the instructions on the form for submission to the Virginia Department of Social Services for processing.

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