Welcome to the TARE website!

The Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) website helps match children awaiting adoption with adoptive parents. It includes photos and profile information on children available for adoption and allows families to provide information about their adoption preferences and interests in adopting a child. Families need to create an account and complete a family profile in order to view the full profile information and to inquire on children or sibling groups. TARE is managed by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS).

Photographs of children available for adoption and in Heart Galleries are for viewing only and may not be downloaded, used, or published without the express permission of DFPS. If your organization would like to use photographs of children available for adoption at an event to promote adoption in your community, please contact DFPS at (800) 233-3405 to discuss the request and to receive guidance from DFPS on allowable use.

Adoption Made in Heaven

We have been adopting girls for the last ten years and Isabell is our third child. With Isabell, we prayed for a child that God wanted us to have before we started our search. We got on the TARE site and almost immediately Isabell stood out at us on our first search. We contacted TARE and our agency in Florida sent our home study to Texas. After much waiting and prayer, we were notified by the CPS caseworker that Isabell was selected for our family. 

After much paperwork, we traveled to Texas to meet our future daughter. Isabell was understandably shy at first, but she was determined to have a family as much as we wanted her in our family. On our part, it was love at first sight and Isabell was a little cautious at first. We spent a week in Texas with Isabell and during that week we bonded tightly and we knew God picked her rather than us picking Isabell for us. 

This match was from Heaven and the entire week went without any problems. The only difficult part of the trip was returning Isabell in Texas to await the final paperwork and her placement. Our six month placement went very well with a few bumps but overall the transition for Isabell went well. We know many things were going behind the scenes where we know God was working through Isabell’s caseworker and she was always going beyond any other caseworker we have ever worked with. Isabell had several caseworkers and her final caseworker has a special place in Isabell’s heart. She made sure Isabell’s transition into her adoptive home went well and was always available if we needed anything. 

With our other adoptions, many times we were on our own and we appreciate the extra efforts her caseworker made to assist us. In our opinion, DFPS is very fortunate to have a caseworker like her and the special relationships she has with her kids. We also want Texas DFPS to know that your system for kids is superior to Florida and if we should ever adopt again, we will always come to Texas.

- The Allison Family

Saying "Yes" to Carlo

Read the story of the Hatla family's adoption on our partner AdoptUSKids website.

Photo listings are updated daily. Families need to create an account and complete a family profile in order to view the full profile information and to inquire on children or sibling groups. Go to View Waiting Children.

Fostering Unaccompanied Refugee Minors

Many Texans have inquired about becoming foster parents for the unaccompanied refugee minors who have come to Texas. Individuals interested in fostering these children can reach out to the Federal Office of Refugee Resettlement's Unaccompanied Refugee Minor (URM) program. The URM can be reached by email at URMprogram@acf.hhs.gov

President Sets in Motion National Adoption Month President Barack Obama has declared November 2016 to be National Adoption Month. He issued a proclamation emphasizing that every child deserves a chance to a loving family. The proclamation also celebrates the adoptive parents who give so much to the children and youth to whom they have opened their hearts and their homes. President Obama stressed his administration's support of programs to reduce the amount of time children wait for adoption and the importance of keeping siblings together. The administration was able to permanently extend the Adoption Tax Credit, which helps provide necessary financial support to adoptive families to ease the economic burden of the adoption process.  The Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act also went into effect. This is designed to enforce our high legal standards for adoption service providers and to protect parents and children of adoptive families around the world. On November 19, National Adoption Day will be observed to raise awareness of the children and youth still in need of permanent homes.

Texas Adoption Day GOVERNMENT CODE, TITLE 6, SUBTITLE B, CHAPTER 662 added by Acts 2007, 80th Legislature, Sec. 662.053 TEXAS ADOPTION DAY (a) The Saturday before Thanksgiving Day of each year is Texas Adoption Day to celebrate and encourage adoption, adoptive families, and adoption workers in Texas. (b) Texas Adoption Day shall be regularly observed by appropriate ceremonies and activities that encourage participation in and raise awareness about the adoption process and that honor adoptive families and adoption workers in Texas. (c) The Department of Family and Protective Services shall create a statewide awareness campaign to promote Texas Adoption Day and shall coordinate ceremonies and activities held throughout the state.

Note: Children come into the care of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) due to abuse or neglect. Therefore, families who adopt children through the agency should have an understanding or be willing to learn the dynamics of neglect and physical or sexual abuse.