We are not currently accepting new families into our SWAN program, however we can work with county referred families at this time.
Statewide Adoption & Permanency Network (SWAN)
Madison Adoption Associates works with the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (via the Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network) to find permanent families for Pennsylvania children waiting to be adopted.
The children legally free for adoption are:
- Mostly 10 years old and older
- Mostly African American or biracial
- Mostly boys
- May be part of a sibling group
- Have been victims of physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse and neglect.
- Have moderate to severe cognitive, emotional, or physical disabilities.
- In the custody of a county Department of Children, Youth and Families agency. They are either residing in foster care, group homes or residential/institutional settings.
- Health of the children varies but is generally fair to good.
- Living in Pennsylvania Through the SWAN program we are only able to place children currently in the foster care system in Pennsylvania.
Requirements
- Applicants may be married, in a committed relationship, or single men or women. Gay and lesbian families are welcome.
- Couples must be in a committed relationship for at least two years.
- Applicants must live within 30 miles of the office in Willow Grove.
- Experience with special needs children is important, as is flexibility and a sense of humor!
Costs
- Families will be asked to pay $2,500 for the completion of their family profile. However, this fee will be fully refunded at the time your adoption is finalized.
Procedure
Families contact Madison Adoption Associates to schedule an individual information meeting. Following the information meeting, families choosing to move forward will submit their application to MAA, participate in training, and participate in a family profile/home study that consists of interviews with the family conducted in the home. Specialized training may be required. The family’s home study is then distributed to social workers within Children and Youth agencies, who then decide on the appropriateness of a match. Following a match and pre-placement visits, placement occurs and is supervised by Madison Adoption Associates for a minimum 6-month period.
Time Frame Estimate
Upon completion of the family profile, it is estimated that a match will occur in 6 months to 2 years. This will vary depending on the degree of special needs that a family is willing to consider. The fewer special needs you are open to, the longer you will wait to be matched with a child or children.
Travel
Counties throughout the Commonwealth of PA are working to find families for children. Families being considered as a possible match for a child or children may need to travel to the child’s county for interviews and pre-placement visits prior to the placement of the child. The number of visits is decided on a case-by-case basis and is determined by the emotional needs of the child.
