Adoption
Adoption is a legal process where the adoptive parents are awarded by the Court of Adoptions all the rights and responsibilities of the birth parents, therefore providing a permanent home for children who can’t return to their family or origin after all efforts have been exhausted. Being a foster parent doesn’t automatically mean you must adopt. For adoption to be possible, the child must be legally cleared for adoption thru the parent’s relinquishing their parental rights or the court terminating the rights of the parent.
Prospective adoptive parents must complete new finger print card(s) even if they were previously finger printed as a foster parent.
The agency conducts Agency Placement Adoptions and Private and Step-Parent Adoptions.
Agency Placement Adoptions:
In Robeson County, Adoption Specialist
- Recruit for children in foster care cleared for Adoption that do not have an identified adoptive family
- Prepare the prospective adoptive parents and children for adoption, and
- prepare the documents necessary to complete the adoption process for children in all adoptive placements.
The children waiting for adoptions are typically:
- part of a sibling group
- school aged
The birth parents of children waiting for adoption have voluntarily relinquished the child to the agency or parental rights of the birth parents have been terminated by the court. The majority of the children are in the custody of DSS or a private agency. Many children adopted from DSS are eligible for adoption assistance.
Private and Step-Parent Adoptions:
In Robeson County, Private, Step-Parent, Independent Adoptions are completed by an Adoption Worker.
- Relative Adoptions are when a child is legally adopted by someone who is related either by blood (grandparent, uncle, aunt, etc) or
- marriage (step-parent)
There is a fee for this service that is based on the families income. The reports are required by the Clerk of Courts office before a decree of adoption can be issued.
Adoption Requirements
If you are interesting in finding out more about Adoption please contact:
Rolanda Collins-Adoption Social Worker
(910) 671-3793
rolanda.collins@dss.co.robeson.nc.us
Chandra McKoy-Adoption Social Worker
(910) 671-3555
chandar.mckoy@dss.co.robeson.nc.us
Tammy Smith-Adoption Social Worker
(910) 671-3507
tammy.smith@dss.co.robeson.nc.us
vacant -Private Adoption Social Worker
(910) 737-5059
Gina Willoughby-Adoption Social Worker
(910) 671-3508
gina.willoughby@dss.co.robeson.nc.us
Kim Britt-Adoption Social Work Supervisor
(910) 671-3796
kim.britt@dss.co.robeson.nc.us
Anthony Maynor-Adoption Social Work Supervisor
(910) 671-3775
anthony.maynor@dss.co.robeson.nc.us