Interested in Adoption?

Adoption is the permanent, legal transfer of parental rights and responsibilities from a child’s birth parents to adoptive parents. Napa County Child Welfare Services offers adoption services and is able to facilitate adoptions of children in foster care as well as assist birth parents who are considering placing their child for adoption. 

How to Adopt

In order to adopt, parents must first be licensed as foster parents in order to care for the child until the adoption is finalized. Relatives of children they are adopting need to be approved by CWS as relative caregivers and certain State requirements, similar to foster care licensing, must be met.

Steps to Become a Resource Parent

Adoption Assistance Program 

The Adoption Assistance Program (AAP) was established by the federal and state governments to provide financial assistance to help families with the ongoing expenses of caring for a child adopted from foster care.

AAP continues until the eligible child reaches 18 years of age, or in some cases until they reach 21 years of age.

The benefits available for AAP eligible children are as follows:

  • A monthly financial benefit
  • Medical insurance through Medi-Cal
  • Non-recurring adoption expenses (up to $400 per child)
  • Payment for residential treatment or Wraparound services and continuation of AAP benefits in a re-adoption
  • The amount of financial assistance is determined based upon the special needs of the child and circumstances of the family

Adoption Resources