The children featured are representative of Pennsylvania's waiting children. Most are in the custody of a county children and youth agency. All are considered to have special needs and a desire for privacy as they wait to be adopted.

The child narratives contain information to introduce you to a child. They are not meant to be an all-inclusive history with detailed information. At the appropriate time, the county of custody will share detailed information with families who may be able to provide an adoptive home for the child.

Use any of the following four methods to learn about the children featured in our Photo Album:

Browse
View all of PAE children

New Kids
Meet the children added to our Photo Album within last 30 days.

Recent Updates
Contains new information on a child already featured in the Photo Album

Search
Define desired characteristics (age, ethnicity, etc.) for a child. You’ll meet only the children who fall within the search parameters you have selected.

When you have seen one or more children in whom you are interested

• Click on the child's photo/image or the link below the image to display the Child Information page.
• Select Resource Family Applicant Registration/Update Form if you have an approved family profile/home study and would like to register with PAE. The form must be signed by an adoption agency worker before it is returned to PAE.

Pennsylvania residents who do not have an approved profile/home study should:

• Call the helpline at 1-800-585-SWAN for assistance.
• Select Agency List and contact agencies on your own

Out of state families who do not have an approved profile/home study should contact their local county or state social services agency. You may register with PAE after you have an approved adoptive home study.

NOTE:

All children listed in the Photo Album may be eligible for Adoption Assistance. A determination is made on each child’s eligibility and, when eligible, the various forms of assistance can be negotiated with the county agency. For more information, see the Adoption Assistance Questions and Answers or speak with a representative of the child’s agency.

The descriptions of our children are intentionally brief. The summaries are prepared from information submitted by the agency which has legal custody. More details about a child will be presented to families as they proceed through the adoption process. The Department assumes no responsibility whatsoever for the accuracy of the material submitted to PAE which appears in the Photo Album. The agency is wholly responsible to provide approved, prospective adoptive parents with sufficient information in both scope and detail so that the prospective parent may make an informed decision to adopt a specific child.

Pennsylvania's adoption law specifies that no information may be publicized without the prior approval of the Department of Public Welfare. (Pa. C.S. 2553.) Anyone reproducing pictures from www.adoptpakids.org for other than their intended purpose is acting in violation of law.