Adoption

The purpose of LPA's Adoption Committee is to find a loving home for each child with dwarfism. Our role is to act as a link between prospective parents and adoption agencies that represent short-statured children. 

Please note that we are not an adoption agency, but a volunteer committee that facilitates between the adoption agencies and the adoptive parents.  By reaching out to adoption agencies, doctors, hospitals, geneticists, and others, we are able to locate children with dwarfism who are available for adoption and prospective parents who are interested in adopting. 

The LPA's adoption committee is enthusiastic about its past work in uniting children with their families and continues to work towards this important goal.

LPA's National Adoption Coordinator is Colleen Gioffreda. You may reach her by e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at (443) 676-0186.

LPA Adoptions is an online Facebook group for individuals interested in adopting children with dwarfism. Some children available for adoption are listed on the Facebook page. Because of the confidential nature of adoption and country-specific rules, only some children are eligible to be on a public list.  To see the comprehensive list of children we know of that are available for adoption email [email protected] to request access.

LPA Adoption Committee's Mission

Our Mission as the LPA Adoption Committee is to provide information to adoption agencies and interested families about the adoption of short-statured children.  This committee is devoted to helping children with dwarfism find loving homes but is NOT an adoption agency.  This committee is informative only and does not have an adoption license.


The Waiting Child by Debbie Bodie

I saw you meet your child today. 
You kissed your baby joyfully 
And as you walked away with her, 
I played pretend you'd chosen me. 

I'm happy for the baby, 
yet inside I'm aching miserably. 
I want to plead as you go by, 
"Does no-one want a child of three?" 

I saw you meet your child today 
In love with her before you met 
And as I watched you take her out 
I knew it wasn't my turn yet. 

I recognize you from last year! 
I knew I'd seen your face before! 
But you came for a second babe. 
Does no-one want a child of four? 

I saw you meet your child today 
But this time there was something new. 
A nurse came in and took MY hand 
And then she gave my hand to you. 

Can this be true? I'm almost six! 
And there are infants here you see? 
But then you kissed me and I knew 
The child you chose this time was ME.

Fundraising Ideas

There are a number of fundraising ideas that a family can use in order to help defray the costs of adoption. Here are a few websites for you to check out:

And don't forget the LPA Adoption Fund! If you are a member of LPA, you can apply for monies that go toward your adoption of a child with dwarfism. Please contact [email protected] for an application.

The IRS offers a tax credit for expenses incurred during an adoption.  For 2019, the tax credit for adoptions is $14,080, per child if your combined household income does not exceed $211,160.  For combined household income between $211,160 and $251,160, a decreasing portion of the federal tax credit can be claimed. Please see the IRS website for more information.

For your information: 
The LPA Adoption Committee has some sample of fundraising letters to assist in your adoption fundraising efforts. Contact Colleen at [email protected] for samples.

Useful Websites

LP Adoption's email list

Adoption General Information

Adoption Week Magazine

IRS adoption publications

The National Adoption Information Clearinghouse

Check out the LPA Adoption Facebook Group for the most up-to-date information.

The Home Study

The home study can be an intimidating process, especially if it is unfamiliar to you.  Here are some basic guidelines for a typical home study.  Every state has its own rules, but this is just an idea to enable you to prepare.

A home study is a process conducted by the social services department of a state, county or region, or by a designated entity (such as a private adoption agency), to determine the suitability of prospective individuals or couples to become parents.  A completed home study is required in all states prior to the finalization of an adoption.  Most states require a home study prior to receiving the child, but the rules of some states vary.

There are no set formats for the home study. It can include several interviews, be educational, and include conversations about families, siblings, marriage and one's attitudes towards raising children.  The home study will include issues regarding health and safety as they relate to the neighborhood and dwelling of the prospective parent(s).

Information that prospective parents will be required to provide include:

  • Birth Certificates for all family members.
  • Marriage certificates.
  • Divorce Decrees (if applicable).
  • Photographs of your family and of your home.
  • Income verification with W-2 or income tax statement.
  • Physical examinations with health statement of all family members.
  • Personal references from friends and colleagues.
  • FBI, police and child abuse clearances with no record.
  • Written autobiographical life history of all family members.

International Adoptions

International adoptions vary from country to country and from region to region.  It is hard to obtain a specific list of criteria unless the parents know where they are adopting from first.  The Adoption Committee suggests that if a couple wants to adopt a child with dwarfism internationally, there are two options.  One option is to decide on the child first and then pursue the adoption according to the rules and regulations of that child's country.  The other option is to obtain a home study from an agency that has a variety of options for home studies for different countries.

These are some of the general guidelines we have found when adopting internationally:

  • Depending on the country, the family may have to visit once or even twice before being able to take the child home.
  • Again, depending on the country, the family may have to prepare a dossier.
  • The family will have to obtain visas for the particular country that they are visiting.
  • The family will have to ensure that their passports are current.