Mississippi foster and adoption guidelines
Every child deserves a home. Adults also need the connections that a family brings. Please let us help you on your adoption and foster journey.
On this page:
- State contact information
- Foster and adoption licensing requirements
- Costs to foster and adopt
- Agency contact and orientation information
- Post-adoption support services
- Information on Mississippi's children
State contact information
Mississippi Dept. of Child Protection Services
Foster Care/Adoption Hotline
Phone: 800-821-9157
adoptms.kids@mdcps.ms.gov
Foster and adoption licensing requirements
Minimum requirements include:
- Completion of required agency forms.
- Medical information completed by a physician.
- You can be single or married.
- Verification of marriages and divorces, if applicable.
- Currently reside in the state of Mississippi.
- Applicants must be at least 21 years of age.
- Child Abuse Registry checks for all adults in the home.
- Police record clearance for all adults in the home.
- References for employment and character.
- Sanitation and water inspection, if not on approved system.
- Home visits and interviews with all household members.
- Active telephone service in the home.
- Smoke alarm and no less than a four-pound ABC-type fire extinguisher.
- Minimum income that proves applicant is self-supporting and could financially meet the needs of an additional family member.
- Transportation available at all times.
- Participate in at least 15 hours of pre-service training.
- Child must have his or her own bed, and no adult or child of the opposite sex may sleep in the same room with him or her.
- Life insurance coverage for family, child and a plan for the child in the event of disability or death of parent.
To learn more about requirements or to get started, please visit our “become a foster/adoptive parent” web page. If you scroll down to the middle of the page, you will see the foster/adoption application for single people and the foster/adoption application for married people.
To get started, you must complete the application online. For questions about it, please contact:
Mississippi Dept. of Child Protection Services
Foster Care/Adoption Hotline
Phone: 800-821-9157
adoptms.kids@mdcps.ms.gov
Costs to foster and adopt
There are fees involved for home studies completed by some private agencies. However, many families use low-cost or almost no-cost adoption and foster options every year.
Agency contact and orientation information
For information about online training courses for foster families, please contact:
Mississippi Dept. of Child Protection Services
Foster Care/Adoption Hotline
Phone: 800-821-9157
adoptms.kids@mdcps.ms.gov
Post-adoption support services
See a comprehensive list of post-adoption and guardianship support services and support groups available to families who live in Mississippi.
Information on Mississippi's children
Approximately 4,800 Mississippi children are in care right now. Some are in foster homes or relative placements already.
In April 2019, there were approximately 65 children in Mississippi waiting for adoption.