Liberia Adoption

An Overview

This small country on the west coast of Africa was established in 1847 as a homeland for freed slaves from the U.S. (Liberia is Latin for "free land"). Children are available for adoption mainly because of the extreme poverty in Liberia, though some may have been orphaned during the civil conflicts that plagued the country from 1989 to 2003.

Learn more about adoption from Liberia at the U.S. Department of State's Liberia Adoption page.

Fast Facts:

Estimated Cost: $10,000 to $12,000.
Profile of Children: Both boys and girls, infants through teens, and sibling groups are available.
Parent Ages: No specific age requirements for parents.
Family Status: Married couples or singles may adopt.
Travel: Parents may choose to travel or have the child escorted to the United States. If parents travel, the average stay in country is 14 days.
Timeline: Approximately 4 to 6 months from completion of dossier to referral.

Helpful articles from Adoptive Families magazine:

Our Blended Family, by Sarah Gerstenzang

Black in Middle America, with Michelle Johnson

5 Ways to Talk with Your Child About Racism, by Deborah Johnson

More Resources for Parents of African-American Children

To get started in Liberia adoption:

Consult these helpful books:

The Adoption Resource Book by Lois Gilman

Different and Wonderful: Raising Black Children in a Race-conscious Society by Dr. Darlene Powell Hopson and Dr. Derek S. Hopson

Does Anybody Else Look Like Me?: A Parent's Guide to Raising Multiracial Children by Donna Jackson Nakazawa

I'm Chocolate, You're Vanilla: Raising Healthy Black and Biracial Children in a Race-conscious World by Marguerite Wright

Inside Transracial Adoption by Gail Steinberg and Beth Hall

Consult these websites to stay up to date:

AF Adoption News Ticker

U.S. State Department—International Adoption: Liberia

The Embassy of Liberia, in Washington, D.C.