FamiliesFirst is a custodial adoption agency licensed by the State of California to provide a full range of adoption services.

The principal goal of the FamiliesFirst Adoption Program is to provide adoption services to prospective adoptive parents and to special needs children whose permanent plan is adoption.  Due to their level of emotional disturbance and psychiatric problems, these special needs children are at high risk for disrupted placements and institutionalized care.  We bring all of our resources and expertise to our Adoption Program, designed to assist the children and families become integrated as a family system.

Toward this goal, our priority is to provide adoption services to special needs children currently placed with FamiliesFirst foster families.  We proved a continuum of services to a child and family through the placement process until the adoption is final, and provide post-adoption services to maintain the placement.

The children who enter the foster care system come with a plan for legal permanency that is determined by the court and the county social service department.  If the plan is for family reunification, foster parents and social workers work hard to reunite these children with their birth parents or relatives, if possible.  Frequently, this does not occur and the children become relinquished for adoption.

FamiliesFirst believes that adoption provides the most secure environment for a child outside of his or her birth family, and the foster parents who have been caring for them are often the first and best choice for a permanent family.

To provide quality service to all of our clients, we work cooperatively with other licensed adoption agencies and community resources to find and maintain the best adoptive homes for special needs children.  Special needs adoption services may include emotional, psychological, educational and medical services to help children cope with the effects of physical and sexual abuse, neglect, and other issues that necessitated the child’s placement in foster care.

Certain children qualify for post adoption assistance benefits and the FamiliesFirst social worker will discuss the Adoption Assistance Program (AAP) eligibility requirements with you.