• Ages 8 and older.

• Sibling groups.

• Children who may have experienced trauma

• Children who may have developmental, emotional, physical or behavioral needs.

• Children who may have in-utero exposure to drugs and/or alcohol.

Yes, as part of the home study process the adoption social worker will discuss your placement preferences. The Department of Family Services (DFS) will prepare adoption home studies for families who desire placement of children 8 and older. Younger children may be available as part of a sibling group.

DFS does not recruit adoptive families for infants or toddlers. Younger children are typically adopted by relatives or foster parents, if the plan becomes adoption.

For more information about infant adoptions please visit:

http://dcfs.nv.gov/Programs/CWS/Adoption/Guide/LicensedPrivateChildPlacingAdoptionAgencies/

• You must be at least 10 years older than the child you wish to adopt.

• You must be a resident of Clark County.

• Pass the required background checks.

• Complete at least 24 hours of Professional Caregivers Pre-Service Training.

• Complete an adoption application.

• Participate in the adoption home study process.

• Have your home approved for safety. 

• All adult household members will be required to pass background checks and participate in the home study process.

• Exercise sound judgment and decision-making to meet the safety, well-being and permanency needs of foster children. 

• Be a part of a child and family team (CFT). 

• Be able to explore your own family and background.

• Accept and respect each child as an individual.

• Remain supportive of your child as they work through past traumatic experiences.

Yes training is required and available at no cost. For households with two adults who desire to adopt a special needs child, both applicants must attend all training sessions together. 

No. Training content would not be appropriate for children. Childcare is not provided.

No. You can be single or married, in a domestic partnership, or living with a significant other. Couples who are not married can be adoptive parents, however in order to adopt, only one applicant can legally be the adoptive parent. State regulations require a couple who are legally married to adopt together. Domestic partners who are registered in Nevada can adopt together.

No. You can own or rent your residence. You can live in an apartment, house, condominium, townhouse, or mobile home.

No.  DFS will look at your income and expenses to ensure that you are capable of providing for your current household needs as well as a child’s needs. Lack of sufficient income may preclude you from being approved to adopt.

Adoptive families are required to pay fees to have their background check completed. Adoptive families incur the cost of physical exams for all family members. Adoptive families also hire an attorney when it is time to finalize the adoption. Assistance may be available to reimburse adoptive families for legal fees up to $500 after the adoption is finalized.

Any conviction may preclude a family from moving forward in the adoption process. A person’s overall criminal history will be reviewed and it may be determined from the review that a household will be precluded from moving forward to the fingerprinting, training, home study and licensing processes.

If you have had a substantiated case of child abuse and/or neglect, then you will be precluded from moving forward to the fingerprinting, training, home study and licensing processes. If the complaint was unsubstantiated, you may be asked to provide a written statement regarding the incident(s). 

Yes. The adoption social worker or caseworker will provide you full disclosure with as much information as is available to the department about the child’s needs. This may include, but are not limited to:

• Child and family’s social history

• Reasons for adoptive placement

• Child’s personality and temperament

• Child’s self-help skills and functioning level in comparison to his/her age

• Child’s residential placement history

• Child’s/sibling’s history of abuse/neglect/abandonment

• Information on child’s siblings and strength of their relationship

• Child and family’s health and medical history, including known hereditary conditions

• Child’s birth records and developmental history

• Child’s psychological and psychiatric history and reports

• Information on child’s specific special needs

• Child’s intellectual functioning and educational reports

From submission of the pre-screen forms to full licensure, the process may take a minimum of 3 to 6 months to complete if all requirements are met in a timely manner. Pre-service training takes a minimum of 8 weeks to complete.  

No.  DFS understands that this is a very important decision and you need to feel comfortable with the placement of a child in your home.  

Yes, financial and/or medical assistance is available for children who meet the criteria of a special needs child. Adoptive families will apply for assistance as part of adoption process, prior to finalization.

Call at (702) 455-0800 or email  DFSadoptions@ClarkCountyNV.gov to register for an Adoption information session.