Foster to Adopt in New Hampshire: How the Process Works

Foster-to-adopt in New Hampshire is not a separate program. There is no special application, no distinct "foster-to-adopt license," and no list of children pre-approved for adoption that you can browse before accepting a placement. What there is, instead, is a licensing process that qualifies you to foster — and a legal pathway through which some foster care placements eventually become adoptions.

Understanding this distinction matters before you start. If your primary goal is adoption, you need to understand what the New Hampshire system actually offers: a path through foster care where adoption is a possible outcome, not a guaranteed one.

The Foundation: You Must Be Licensed First

To adopt a child from New Hampshire's foster care system through DCYF, you must first be licensed as a foster parent. There is no parallel adoption-only track for children in state custody. The licensing process is identical to standard foster care licensing — Form 1715, background checks, PRIDE/CWEP pre-service training, home study, fire and health inspections.

There is no application fee. There are no out-of-pocket costs for adopting through DCYF.

Concurrent Planning: The Core of Foster-to-Adopt

New Hampshire uses a concurrent planning model, codified in DCYF Policy 1625. From the moment a child enters care, DCYF works on two goals simultaneously:

Primary goal: Reunification with the birth family, or another form of family preservation

Concurrent goal: A backup permanency plan — typically adoption or legal guardianship — that is developed and maintained at the same time

Concurrent planning is designed to prevent the delay that used to happen when reunification failed and then the system scrambled to find an adoptive family for a child who had been waiting for years. Under this model, if reunification is ruled out, a permanency plan is already in place.

What this means practically: when you take a foster placement, the case may already have both a reunification goal and a concurrent adoption goal listed. You are caring for a child whose legal future is genuinely uncertain. Reunification is always the preference when safe and possible, but the backup goal exists from day one.

When Adoption Becomes Possible: Termination of Parental Rights

For a child to be legally available for adoption, parental rights must first be terminated. In New Hampshire, the state petitions the probate court for Termination of Parental Rights (TPR) under RSA 170-C when reunification efforts have failed. Grounds for TPR include:

• Abandonment (no contact with the child for 6 months or more)
• Failure to correct the conditions that led to removal within 12 months of the case plan
• Severe physical or sexual abuse
• Chronic, persistent neglect

TPR is a significant legal action and typically requires the child to have been in care for a year or longer while reunification efforts were exhausted. It is not automatic, and courts can extend timelines when parents are making progress. The average time from removal to a finalized adoption in New Hampshire is measured in years, not months.

The Preference for Current Caregivers

Under RSA 169-C:19-h, when a child in New Hampshire foster care becomes legally free for adoption, the court gives preference to the child's current licensed foster caregiver — provided that a meaningful relationship has been established. This is the mechanism through which foster-to-adopt placements typically result in adoption.

You are not guaranteed the right to adopt a child you are fostering. But if you have been that child's primary caregiver, if the child is bonded to you, and if you are willing to adopt, the law puts you first in consideration. Foster parents also have the right to be notified of court hearings and permanency meetings, and their perspective carries weight in the court's decision-making.

What "Foster-to-Adopt Ready" Actually Means

People who say they're interested in foster-to-adopt typically mean they want to be placed with a child who is either already legally free or whose reunification is highly unlikely. DCYF can sometimes identify cases that are closer to the concurrent goal than the primary goal — situations where parents have had repeated involvement with DCYF, are not engaging with services, or where the circumstances of removal make reunification unlikely.

Being explicit with your Resource Worker about your adoption goals matters. DCYF cannot guarantee an adoption placement, but they can consider your preferences when matching you with cases where the concurrent plan is more prominent.

Be prepared for the emotional reality: even cases where adoption seems likely can change. Birth parents can stabilize, meet case plan requirements, and be reunified with their children. If you can only approach foster care as a guaranteed path to adoption, the emotional risk is high — and the system is not designed to protect you from reunification.

Older Children and Children with Special Needs

The children who become legally free for adoption most quickly in New Hampshire are often older children (teenagers) and children with significant special needs — not infants and toddlers, who are more likely to be reunified. Families who are specifically focused on adopting newborns or young children through the foster care system often encounter a difficult mismatch between their expectations and what the system actually looks like.

Children with special needs who are adopted through DCYF may be eligible for the New Hampshire Adoption Assistance Program, which can include ongoing financial support and Medicaid continuation. This is separate from foster care maintenance and is negotiated at the time of adoption finalization.

The Adoption Finalization Process

Once parental rights are terminated and you are approved as the adoptive family, the formal adoption process proceeds through the New Hampshire probate court. DCYF supports the process and there is no cost to adoptive families. The court issues a final adoption decree, and the child becomes your legal child.

If you're primarily interested in the path from license to adoption, the New Hampshire Foster Care Licensing Guide covers the concurrent planning system in detail, including what to ask DCYF when evaluating a placement to understand where it falls on the reunification-to-adoption spectrum.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does foster-to-adopt take in New Hampshire?

It depends entirely on the case. A child whose parents have already had TPR filed when you receive the placement could finalize within a year. A child placed with you under a reunification plan that eventually fails could take three to four years from placement to finalized adoption. There is no fixed timeline.

Can I specify that I only want placements where adoption is the goal?

You can communicate this preference to your Resource Worker, and DCYF will consider it in matching. You cannot receive a legal guarantee, because the legal status of every case can change as the court process unfolds.

Does it cost money to adopt through DCYF in New Hampshire?

No. Adoption through DCYF has no out-of-pocket costs for the adoptive family. Legal fees are covered by the state.

What happens if I'm fostering and DCYF decides to place the child with a relative instead?

Relative placement is prioritized under RSA 169-C:19-h. If a suitable relative steps forward, DCYF is required to evaluate that placement. This can and does happen even after a child has been with you for months. It is one of the genuinely hard parts of foster care.

Can same-sex couples adopt through New Hampshire foster care?

Yes. New Hampshire does not discriminate based on sexual orientation or marital status in foster care licensing or adoption. Both members of a same-sex couple can be named as adoptive parents.

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