Children waiting for adoption are:

• Over the age of ten
• Sibling groups of two or more, with one child being ten or older.

Waiting children include those with physical, mental, or emotional handicaps.

Most children waiting for permanent families live in foster homes, group homes, or institutions.

A large percentage of waiting children are African American or Hispanic. An attempt is made to place children in families with similar racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Healthy children from infancy to ten years of age are available in extremely limited numbers at this time.

Those who can only consider such a child are placed on a waiting list.

A home study usually consists of a series of interviews between a family and a social worker to help applicants think through their ability to adopt a child.

It is important that people considering adoption be stable, sensitive, patient, and capable of giving a child love and understanding.

Social workers want to be sure that a person or couple have a realistic understanding of the commitment they take on when they adopt, and that they can provide a safe and nurturing environment for a child in their home.

Interviews with husband and wife or a single adoptive parent are conducted by GPS II/MAPPcertified trainers.

Applicants are asked to provide written information about themselves and their life experiences.

When a child is placed with the adoptive family, the parents have previously relinquished the child to an agency, or their parental rights have been terminated through a formal court procedure.

The New York State Department of Social Services also issues Family Albums and Blue Books which contain photographs and descriptions of children who are available for adoption.

These can also be found in local libraries or can be viewed at our office located at 112 East Post Road, White Plains, New York from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, except holidays.

Post-adoption services are provided to adoptive parents and children to assist with problems, issues or concerns that may arise after the adoption has been finalized.

These supportive services are available until the adoptee reaches the age of 21. The WRAP program (Westchester Resource for Adoption Program) was developed by the Westchester Institute for Human Development and is located on the campus of Westchester Medical Center.

Services provided include: clinical consultation; monthly support groups; parent-to-parent connections to build supportive relationships for families; assistance obtaining services such as appropriate school placements and therapeutic services in the community; an adoption library providing a selection of books, articles and videotapes related to adoptive family life; and ongoing trainings for adoptive parents on issues related to adoption.

Medical information (with identifying information deleted) is available at any time to parents who adopt a foster child and to the adoptee when he or she reaches 18 years of age.

The New York State Department of Health also operates an Adoption Information Registry, which allows adult adoptees to obtain non-identifying information on such things as background information on birth parents.

The Adoption Information Registry also provides New York adoptees and birth parents with a vehicle through which they can register if they wish to be identified to one another.