Family Options
Whether you’re building a family or trying to make the best decision about an unplanned pregnancy – we are here with your options for adoption in NJ!
At Family Options, our mission is to provide affordable, quality adoption services that are tailored to meet each family’s needs. Founded in 1988, Family Options continues to provide compassionate support and personal care to all persons touched by adoption.
We recognize that adoption-related issues are complex, and families often need professional support and guidance. Our non-profit organization offers services during all stages of the adoption process in an effort to educate, counsel, and prepare both adoptive and birth families.
We provide a full range of services from pre-placement information and counseling to post-placement services, using traditional and innovative means. Family Options is committed to focusing on the family and developing realistic approaches to adoption.
Services and information
- Adoption
- Other
Requirements to become a foster parent
New Jersey offers excellent support and services for foster parents in the state. Let's take a closer look at what's offered.
Foster Parent Training
To become a foster parent in New Jersey, you are required to attend PRIDE training. There are three major components to the training including pre-service training, core training, and advanced and specialized training. Within the three components, you will learn skills in five essential competency categories:
- Nurturing and protecting children
- Meeting the developmental needs and addressing developmental delays of children
- Supporting the relationships between families and children
- Making safe and nurturing family connections that will last a lifetime
- Working as a member of a professional team
All licensed foster parents will also have access to many additional workshops, both in-person and online. This may be through e-Learning, webinars, home correspondence courses, or support groups and meetings.
Parent Support
Foster parents receive a monthly payment starting at $716, a clothing allowance, and health care coverage for the child in their care. The amount you receive varies, depending on the child's age and specific needs.
You may also be eligible for:
- Childcare services while working or attending foster parent training
- Special needs transportation reimbursement
- Infant care items
- Essential safety gear such as car seats and bicycle helmets
- Flexible funds for child's special needs
Ratings and Reviews
Average user rating
3.4 / 55 | |
4 | |
3 | |
2 | |
1 |
May 15, 2023
Even though our match ended in a disruption, we could not be more happy with this adoption agency. They are beyond ethical and support birth mothers no matter what. They are honest, kind and genuine and they are by far the best we have worked with on our journey so far! Christina and Silvanna are such a treasure. We are so thankful for them being what all adoption professionals should be!
Apr 30, 2022
This review is long overdue! We had such a wonderful experience with Family Options. Not doing our research we initially signed on with a for profit. It was not the ethical way to go. After a long and heartbreaking road, Family Options stepped into a unique situation and helped us and our birth mother have a very ethical and successful adoption. We will never forget the work Debbie and her team put in to make sure everyone was cared for and this adoption happened as it should! We could never say enough great things about this team from working on our portfolio to finalization! Thank you for everything!
Oct 26, 2021
If I could leave a 0 star rating I would.
This agency is a nightmare to deal with if you are a birth mother. I’ve been working with them for 12 YEARS. Do yourself a favor and protect yourself legally if you are thinking of placing your child for adoption. Seek a professional counselor and a lawyer before making any decisions. I was a young, vulnerable child when I went to this agency with my baby. They did nothing to inform me, counsel me or protect me before I signed my child away. Now the adoptive parents haven’t honored our agreement in 2 years and all the agency can do is call and email the family. They “lost” my paperwork and send the same robotic email blurbs to me about how “sorry” they are. I didn’t have any adults in my life to help me make the choice I did and this agency took advantage of a young girl that was lost and afraid.
Mar 10, 2021
Family Options - they become your family!!! Thank you Debbie, Sharon, Silvana you are “family”! They made our whole process very loving, supportive, informative and they were always there to guide! Not sure how any negatives are on their reviews (not possible!)
We HIGHLY RECOMMEND and we love them!!!
From day one...We walked into their door and from that day we felt the support and love as they worked with us to grow our family. We became family with “family options” from the owner to all the staff.... we know them all, and they are the same people running it still 5 years later...Since we first were placed with our son five years ago until this day - we still keep in touch with all the staff at family options!!! We also are looking to do the process all over again and we would not go anywhere else! Again and again...Family Options...They truly became family with us, through our process they were supportive and loving not only to us but also the birth mother! We were blessed to find them! As I stated....We are looking to also work with them again for a sibling! They are AMAZING!! THANK YOU FAMILY OPTIONS for all you do and all the joy and love you shower the world with!!! WE LOVE YOU more than words could ever express...Again and again HIGHLY RECOMMEND 🌸❤️🌸❤️🌸 you are are family and we love you Debbie, Sharon and Silvana!!! 🥰🥰🥰
Mar 04, 2021
As a board member I find it reprehensible that people who had no contact with this agency can post negative reviews.