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Domestic Adoption

Domestic Adoption with Barker

Domestic adoption is the process of building your family here in the United States. An expectant or birth/first parent chooses an adoptive family for their child and gives legal consent for adoption.

At Barker, we walk beside you every step of the way—providing guidance, education, and support through our compassionate and experienced domestic adoption team.

We offer three primary adoption paths:

Learn How to Get Started in the adoption process ⟶

Parent Eligibility

The minimum age of adoptive parents participating in the Domestic Infant Adoption Program is 25 years old.
Single individuals and married couples are welcome to apply. If married, you must be married for a minimum of one year at the time of application. Please note that more recently married couples (married less than one year) are also welcome to apply in cases where they have lived together for at least one year. Please note that unmarried couples are not eligible to adopt through this program and that any couple living together must apply for adoption together.
If you are seeking to adopt a newborn through the Domestic Infant program, you must be 45 or younger at the time of application to wait in the In Area program and 50 or younger at the time of application to wait in the Out of Area program. Families 51 and older are able to apply, but must have chosen and confirmed a placing agency prior to application (as most infant placement agencies have an age cut off of 50).
Adoptive parents interested in adopting an infant should be generally healthy, both physically and psychologically/emotionally, so that they are able to care for a child.
Adoptive parents must be financially able to incur the costs of infant adoption, in addition to providing for the needs of the child. These costs include the adoption fee and the medical and legal expenses of the birth parents.
Adoptive parents must meet state and agency guidelines for criminal history, medical, and other eligibility standards.

Fees

Services Provided

In Area Adoption- Prospective adoptive parents join a group of fellow waiting parents whose profiles are shared with local Washington, D.C., Maryland, or Virginia expectant parents working with Barker.
Out of Area Adoption- For local families working with an agency or attorney located in an area of the United States outside the Washington metropolitan area (Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C.) for the purposes of placement.
Private/Independent Adoption- For families who choose to work independently and engage in direct outreach to expectant parents, hoping to become adoptive parents of a child whose parents choose adoption for their child. Prospective adoptive parents must still participate in a general information session, a clinical intake or application interview meeting, all required parent trainings, and a home study. They also receive the support of Barker staff from application to adoption finalization.

Infant Adoption

Barker’s Domestic Infant Adoption Program connects adoptive families with expectant parents experiencing unplanned pregnancies. Families are required to meet eligibility criteria and must be open to waiting with one of our trusted partner agencies outside our immediate area.

If you are seeking to adopt a baby in the U.S., our infant program combines professional expertise with personal care—ensuring that both expectant parents and adoptive families are supported with respect and compassion. Families from any community who are open to the specialized needs of waiting children, ages 0-8, are encouraged to apply.

If you are seeking an in-depth exploration of Barker’s programs to help you determine which path might be most appropriate for you and your family, you may attend a free Information Meeting (view upcoming dates here) or schedule a Pre-Adoption Consultation with Barker’s program directors.

Older Child Adoption from Foster Care

Through our Project Wait No Longer (PWNL) program, Barker helps find permanent, loving families for children in the U.S. foster care system. Many are older children (ages 10–14), sibling groups, or children with specialized needs. There is a strong need for families open to adopting children between 12–17, as well as sibling groups who deserve to stay together. By opening your heart and home, you can provide stability, love, and the chance for a brighter future.

Dual Domestic Waiting Program

This unique program allows families to actively wait for both an infant adoption and an older child adoption from foster care. Families must be open to children up to age 8 and to moderate or significant specialized needs.

By participating in the Dual Program, you expand your opportunities to be matched more quickly—whether with a newborn or an older child in need of permanency.

Who are the children?

Infants

Expectant parents receive confidential counseling through Barker. Families in the dual program may be considered for newborn placements locally or with partner agencies nationwide.

Older Children Waiting in Foster Care

Over 100,000 children in U.S. foster care are legally free for adoption. Many have experienced loss, trauma, or neglect, but with love, stability, and therapeutic support, they can thrive in a permanent family.

Children in foster care from all over the U.S., up to the age of 18, need a loving and stable home. Children placed through PWNL are on average 10-14 years old. However, children as young as 2 years old and as old as 17 have found homes through this program.

What are the needs?

Many children have experienced abuse, neglect, and complex trauma, where the support and stability of a loving family can play a crucial role in their healing and positively shape their future. Younger children in foster care tend to have higher levels of specialized needs or they might be a part of a large sibling group, which contributes to more challenges in finding permanency. Families interested in younger children (newborn to elementary age) would need to be open to medical/behavioral needs that require specialized interventions or ongoing specialist support.

Dual Program Adoptive Parent Eligibility

Families approved to adopt through Barker’s Dual Domestic Waiting Program must meet the eligibility requirements for both the Domestic Infant Program and Project Wait No Longer.

View Parent Eligibility

Marital Status

Single individuals and married couples are welcome to apply.
If married, couples must have been married for at least one year at the time of application.
Couples married for less than one year may apply if they have lived together for at least one year.
Unmarried couples are not eligible, and any couple living together must apply jointly.

Age of Parents

Applicants must be 25 years or older.

Openness to Special Needs

Families must be open to adopting a child or children with higher medical or specialized needs, including but not limited to:

Cerebral palsy
Neurological conditions
Speech/language impairments
Limited mobility
Heart defects
Other conditions requiring specialist or therapeutic support

Training Requirements

Must complete the NTDC Pre-Adoption Training prior to starting the home study.

Financial Requirements

Must be able to cover infant adoption costs, including medical and legal expenses for birth/expectant parents.
Must be financially prepared to pay for specialized services not covered by Medicaid or private insurance.

Criminal & Medical History

Applicants must meet all state and agency requirements related to criminal background, medical clearance, and other eligibility criteria.

Click here to view Barker’s Non-Discrimination Agreement.

Services & Support

Working with Barker means adoptive families will feel equipped to meet a wide range of needs in children who are the most vulnerable and most in need of a home. When you adopt with Barker, you gain:

Comprehensive Training & Education – Preparing you for both infant and older child adoption.
Individualized Support – From dedicated infant and foster care specialists.
Clinical & Administrative Guidance – Including home studies and partner agency coordination.
Matching & Visitation – Thoughtful guidance in being considered for infant or older child placements.
Lifelong Family Support – Post-placement counseling, support groups, workshops, and ongoing resources—for adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive families.

Costs & Eligibility

Adoption costs vary depending on the program. Barker’s team will walk you through fee structures with transparency and care.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Attend a Free Information Meeting to explore which adoption path is right for your family.
Schedule a Pre-Adoption Consultation with a Barker program director for one-on-one guidance.

Domestic Adoption