What is a photolisting?

A photolisting is a photograph and a paragraph or two of written information about a child in foster care who is waiting for an adoptive family. View sample photolisting.

Why are photolistings used?

Photolistings provide prospective adoptive parents an opportunity to search for children themselves. Photolistings are also a highly effective way to let Americans know that there are thousands of children in the United States that need adoptive families. Photolistings are a tool used by agencies to get the word out that “this child needs a family now!” For more detailed information about the history of photolistings and how caseworkers write them, please see Lasting Impressions: A Guide for Photolisting Children.

Do photolistings work?

Yes! Thousands of children who were photolisted on this website have been placed with adoptive families. The current number of children once listed on AdoptUsKids.org who are now living with their adoptive families is 12,095.

Are the photolisted children in foster care?

The children photolisted on this site are currently in foster care and are all available for adoption. Children in foster care who are returning to the care of their birth families are not photolisted on this website.

Why is there so little information in the photolisting?

To protect children’s privacy and avoid embarrassing them.

Are photolistings accurate?

AdoptUsKids issues guidelines for the many different caseworkers who write the photolistings for the thousands of children on this site but does not review each individual photolisting. Photolistings are only introductory snapshots of children who are always growing and changing! Caseworkers will share much more information with you about a child if they think you might be a good parent for the child. If you are selected as the family for a child, you have a legal right to all information about the child and the child’s history before the adoption is finalized. For more information see Obtaining Background Information.

Why are some of these children also on other sites?

Some of the children who are photolisted on AdoptUsKids are also photolisted on the state website where they live because the caseworker wants the maximum number of families to be able to see and consider parenting the children.

AdoptUsKids.org is a national photolisting of waiting children. Regional and state specific photolistings are also available.