Santa Cruz County Foster Care and Adoption

Children of different backgrounds and ages are available for adoption through the Santa Cruz County Adoptions Program. Children need homes and families usually because they are unable to leave the foster care system to safely return home to their biological families. 

Who can adopt a child?

Successful adoptive parents can be any one of us: single, married, divorced, with children or without children, LBGT, young or old, homeowner or renter. We are looking for people who will open their hearts and homes to our children. Older children and siblings are in particular need of adoptive homes.

To be a successful Resource Parent, you will need to have:

• A willingness to work with the County throughout the home study, placement and legal freeing of the child for adoption to finalization
• A sense of humor, patience, a strong sense of family, a good support network of friends and family
• An understanding that your child will some natural curiosity about his or her background as he or she grows up
• A household that shares a commitment to the length and ongoing involvement of the adoption process
• An understanding that biological parents can be a valuable resource
• Relatives and extended family members

Older children and sibling sets are in particular need of foster and adoptive homes. Often, it's easier to foster or adopt siblings because they support each other.