South Dakota foster care and adoption guidelines

Thank you for your interest in foster care and adoption.

On this page:

• Foster care and adoption licensing requirements
• Foster care and adoption costs
• Agency contact and orientation information
• Post-adoption support services

Licensing requirements for foster or adoption

You need to become licensed to foster and/or approved to adopt from foster care. To do this, you can work with a local CPS office or a private placement agency.

Adoption

If you are interested in learning about becoming an adoptive parent and you are 21 years of age, the first step is to contact a local CPS office.

For more information about becoming an adoptive parent, please contact Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota at 888-201-5061, 605-221-2990, or rfs@lsssd.org.

Here are your next steps:

• A packet containing information about becoming an adoptive parent will be mailed to those requesting it.
• Once contact has been made, a Family Services Specialist will explain the needs of children who are placed for adoption and outline the requirements for becoming an adoptive parent.

Foster care

If you are interested in learning about becoming a foster parent and you are at least 21 years of age, the first step is to contact a local CPS office.

For more information about becoming a foster parent, please contact Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota at 888-201-5061, 605-221-2990, or rfs@lsssd.org.

Here are your next steps:

• A packet containing information regarding foster parenting will be mailed to those requesting it.
• Once contact has been made, a social worker will explain the needs of children in foster care and outline the requirements for becoming a foster parent.

Please note that 60 percent of the adoptions through the Department of Social Services in South Dakota are when families adopt their foster child.

Foster care and adoption costs

No, adoption does not have to be expensive. Many families adopt each year using low-cost to almost no-cost adoption options.

Private placement agencies will place waiting children in the foster care system in an adoptive placement. When contacting private agencies please specify that you want to adopt from foster care to ensure you receive the correct information. Fees may vary depending on individual situations.

Agency contact and orientation information

View a list of local Child Protection Services offices in South Dakota.