How to Get Started with Adoption Through Adopt Florida

Updated

To begin adoption through Adopt Florida, call Florida's Adoption Information Center at 1-800-96-ADOPT. Within seven business days, you'll be connected with a local Adoption Specialist who can provide information, help assess your readiness, and guide you through the next steps. This applies whether you're still exploring adoption or ready to move forward — the site treats that first call as the entry point for both.

What Happens After You Call

The site describes a clear sequence once you're connected with a specialist:

  1. Information and readiness assessment — The specialist shares information and helps evaluate whether you're prepared to adopt.
  2. Matching — You work closely with your specialist to make sure the strengths and qualities of both your family and the child are carefully considered.
  3. Learning and meeting — After a match, you get the chance to learn about the child, and the child learns about you. As the child becomes more comfortable, visits begin and gradually increase over time.
  4. Final move-in day — The specialist guides everyone involved in determining when the child moves in.
  5. Legal finalization — Your adoption attorney arranges a hearing before a judge, the moment your child legally becomes part of your family.

The site frames adoption as a lifelong commitment and notes that the gradual visit process is designed to ensure both the prospective family and the child are fully prepared before moving forward.

Where to Start on the Website

If you'd rather read before calling, the homepage offers a few entry points:

  • "Learn More" links, which appear alongside the main "Grow Your Family" message.
  • State Adoption and Private Adoption sections, which let you compare the two paths before committing to one.
  • Featured Adoption Stories, for a sense of what the journey looks like for other families.
  • A "Ready to Grow Your Family?" section, which leads toward the contact step.

Post-Adoption Support

Adopt Florida states that its Post-Adoption Support Services assist you and your family during and after the adoption process at no cost until your child turns 18. According to the site, this support is meant to ensure a smooth and successful transition.

Key Things to Keep in Mind

  • The seven-business-day window is the site's stated timeframe for connecting you with a local specialist — not a deadline for you to decide anything.
  • The readiness assessment is part of the process, not a barrier; the specialist's role includes helping you evaluate where you stand.
  • The site does not publish pricing, eligibility criteria, or timelines beyond the seven-business-day connection window, so those specifics are best raised directly with your Adoption Specialist.

If you're considering adopting a child in Florida, the site's own instruction is straightforward: contact Florida's Adoption Information Center at 1-800-96-ADOPT to get connected.