Some children become available for adoption through the Department of Social Services when parents of children in foster care determine they are unable to care for their child/children and voluntarily surrender them for adoption. Others become available when the parents of children in foster care are unable to make the necessary changes in their lives to keep their children safe. In those situations.

Family Court may terminate the parental rights of the child’s parents, freeing the child for adoption. When a child in the custody of Fulton County Department of Social Services becomes freed for adoption, adoption services are provided in an effort to find an adoptive home. Services and support are provided to the child, the birth family as appropriate and the adoptive parents.

When foster children become available for adoption, they are often adopted by their foster parent(s). The department attempts to identify appropriate family members to provide foster care who are also willing to consider adoption. When family members are not available or the best resource, foster parents often adopt the child/children. Whenever possible, it is generally in a child's best interest for their first placement to be their only placement.

Foster and/or adoptive parents are required to participate in MAPP (Model Approaches to Partnership in Parenting), a ten-week training program.

The training is provided by staff from our department. The department also certifies families/individuals for adoption only.