“Which agencies should I use for adopting a child in Tennessee or Florida?”

Great question—“best” agencies depend on the type of adoption you want (adopting from foster care, private domestic infant, or international) and where you live in Tennessee or Florida. A quick way to narrow to safe, reputable choices is to start with each state’s official lists and then vet agencies for fit.

First steps and official lists

• Tennessee (state-supervised/foster care adoption): Start with TN Department of Children’s Services (DCS). They outline the process and, importantly, prioritize families who foster first for children in DCS custody. (tn.gov)
• Tennessee (private infant or intercountry): Use the DCS “Choosing an Adoption Agency” and “Adoption Agencies & Licensing” pages to confirm an agency is currently licensed; they also publish agency fee schedules to compare costs. (tn.gov)
• Florida (from foster care): Florida DCF contracts with regional Community-Based Care (CBC) lead agencies; begin with the CBC lead agency that serves your county. (myflfamilies.com)
• Florida (private infant): Florida DCF’s Child-Placing Agency Licensing page links to the official Private Adoption Agency listing—use this to choose a currently licensed private agency. (myflfamilies.com)
• Florida (local adoption contacts): DCF’s Explore Adoption site provides local adoption specialist contacts who can guide you to vetted agencies in your area. (adoptionexchange.myflfamilies.com)

How to pick among licensed agencies

• Ask for recent references and placement/disruption data; verify license status on the state pages above. (tn.gov)
• Compare written fee schedules and what’s included (home study, counseling, post-placement visits). Tennessee posts fee schedules to help you benchmark. (tn.gov)
• Confirm expectant-parent counseling and post-adoption support are provided by qualified staff.
• If you might adopt across state lines, confirm the agency’s ICPC experience (both TN and FL frequently work across states).

If you share a bit more about:

• 1.foster care vs private infant vs international,
• 2.which state you’ll reside in during the process,
• 3.any budget or timeline constraints,

I can shortlist 3–5 well-matched, currently licensed agencies in Tennessee or Florida and include direct contact details and fee notes from the official listings.

I'll research licensed adoption agencies in Tennessee and Florida to help you compare options.

I've found some initial leads — now I'll look up the official state licensing lists.

I've gathered the key state resources and agency options — now I'll compile your guide.

It depends on what type of adoption you want, because Tennessee and Florida use different systems for:

• 1.Public / foster-care adoption
• 2.Private domestic infant adoption
• 3.International adoption

You must use a licensed agency. In Florida, "the only public child-placing adoption agency in the state is the Department of Children and Families (DCF), but private adoption agency and attorney/intermediary placements are also available" and "any private agencies must be licensed by the DCF".

In Tennessee, to adopt a child in state guardianship you will need to "Get a formal 'home study' by a licensed child placing agency".

1. Tennessee

A. Foster-care to adoption - start with the public system

Tennessee Department of Children's Services - DCS - is "Tennessee's public child welfare agency" that "administer[s] the state's foster-care system".

Important to know:

DCS "does not recruit adopt-only homes, and about 80% of the children who are adopted from foster care are adopted by the families who already are, and have been, their foster parents."

Its practice is "to work with individuals who sign up to become foster parents, and then, if a child in DCS custody becomes available for adoption, the family caring for that child is the first option for adoption."

To become an adoptive parent through DCS you:

• "Must be at least 21."
• "Must be a resident of the State of Tennessee."
• Can be married, single or divorced, own or rent, work full-time, with or without other children

If you want adopt-only and not become a traditional foster parent, "the first step is to obtain a formal home study completed by a private licensed child-placing agency. Once you have a current home study, you can inquire about Tennessee's children/youth available for adoption and featured on public websites such as AdoptUSKids, TN Kids Belong, and Parent a Child."

You will then receive "Tennessee KEY training, which is a required education and self-assessment process."

Key DCS partners to contact:

• Youth Villages + DCS: "A nonprofit called Youth Villages and the Tennessee Department of Children Services are teaming up to find families for the more than 450 children in state custody", with "459 children awaiting adoption in Tennessee" reported.

• Harmony Family Center - Knoxville: "In partnership with the Tennessee Department of Children's Services, we offer support for children and families at every phase of the foster care and ... From the completion of foster and adoptive home studies for prospective parents, to identifying a forever home for children and youth in need of permanency, to in-home post-adoption counseling".

Its FOCUS program "utilizes the Parent a Child website to recruit adoptive parents for children in full guardianship of the state of Tennessee." Harmony also runs the statewide Adoption Support and Preservation Program for pre- and post-adoption services.

• Monroe Harding - Nashville: "Licensed by the Department of Children's Services of the State of Tennessee as a residential child care agency and a child placing agency" and "Accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) since 2007; currently accredited as a provider of Adoption Services (foster-to-adopt services only)".

B. Private infant / domestic / international in Tennessee

• Bethany Christian Services - Nashville / Johnson City area: Listed with "Website: www.bethany.org/locations/us/tennessee/nashville... for "Programs: Infant adoption, independent adoption ... Domestic infant adoption". Its domestic program "includes orientation, education, adoptive family assessments, adoption planning, networking opportunities, placement, post placement services and support, and finalization support" with "goal of the domestic program is to find stable, Christian homes for children in need".

• Adoption Assistance, Inc. - Murfreesboro: "Non-profit agency licensed in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana offering domestic and international adoption services. Their offices are in Murfreesboro."

• Hannah's Hope - Bartlett: "We are a licensed child-placing agency in the state of Tennessee".

• The Center for Family Development - Shelbyville: "a private, 501(c)3 non-profit, licensed, child placing agency in the State of Tennessee."

• Love and Hope Adoptions: "licensed in Pennsylvania by DHS, licensed in Tennessee by DCS, and also licensed in Florida by DCF." Useful if you are deciding between TN and FL.

The "DCS website also offers a list of fee structures for all licensed agencies." - use that to compare costs before signing.

2. Florida

A. Foster-care adoption - start with Explore Adoption + Community Based Care

"Florida has Community Based Care lead agencies throughout the state that handle foster care adoptions at no cost. Find your local agency at this DCF directory or call 1-800-96-ADOPT."

• Florida's Adoption Information Center / Explore Adoption: "Explore Adoption is a statewide adoption program. It promotes public adoption." "You can view profiles of the children who are ready to be adopted." "There are post adoption services."

Contact: "Florida's Adoption Information Center 4203 Southpoint Blvd. Jacksonville, Florida 32216" - "In Florida: 1-800-96-ADOPT" - "Outside Florida: (904) 353-0679". Staff "can connect families with an adoption worker in their area who can help start the adoption process."

Current Lead Agencies on the official DCF list, last updated 11/7/2025, include by region e.g.:

Northwest: NWF Health Network, Children's Neighborhood, One More Child; Northeast: Community Partnership for Children, Partnership for Strong Families, Kids First of Florida, Family Support Services of North Florida; Central: Kids Central, Family Partnership of Central Florida, Heartland for Children; Suncoast / Southeast / Southern: Family Support Services of SunCoast, Safe Children Coalition, ChildNet Broward / Palm Beach, Citrus Family Care Network.

• Children's Home Society of Florida: Its "clinical program in the Jacksonville area includes counseling" with "services with foster care, pre/post adoption services".

• Heart Galleries: "A program of Children's Home Society of Florida, the Heart Gallery of Palm Beach County connects children available for adoption with loving families." Similar galleries operate in Central Florida, Tampa, Broward, etc. to feature children awaiting adoption.

B. Private domestic infant adoption in Florida

• Heart of Adoptions, Inc. - Tampa, 418 West Platt Street: "We are a licensed, childplacing agency founded in 2001 that offers ... domestic adoption services including home studies and postplacement supervision". "Created in 2001 by attorney Jeanne Tate" as "a private adoption agency committed to ensuring adoptions are legal".

• Bethany Christian Services - Winter Garden / Central Florida: "Central Florida location offers: pregnancy support, infant adoption, international adoption, refugee & immigrant foster care, and safe families for children." Bethany was recognized as "a global nonprofit organization dedicated to caring for orphans and vulnerable children" founded in 1944.

• Alliance for Children - Miami: "National agency with an office in Miami that offers international and domestic adoption services."

How to choose and verify

• 1.Decide pathway first: foster-care adoption is public, often no agency fee, but focuses on older children, sibling groups, and children with special needs; private infant adoption is faster for newborns but costs much more and wait times vary.

• 1.Verify license: Check TN DCS licensed child-placing list and FL MyFLFamilies / DCF licensed child-placing list. Florida publishes the regional authorized list with legal reference s.409.175(6)(b), F.S.

• 1.Interview 2-3 agencies and ask:

• DCS / DCF license number + Hague accreditation if international, COA

There’s no single “best” agency for everyone. The right choice depends on whether you want domestic infant adoption, foster-to-adopt, international, relative/kinship, or a faith-based program—and on your budget, location, and whether the child/parents are in Tennessee or Florida.

For Tennessee, start with the state’s own guidance: DCS warns that not every agency advertising in Tennessee is licensed, and only licensed programs are covered by Tennessee regulations and consumer-protection laws. Ask any agency up front whether it is licensed in Tennessee, and check the DCS licensed list. tn.gov

DCS also publishes a 2025 fee schedule for licensed adoption agencies. It’s self-reported and truncated, so confirm current itemized fees directly with each agency. tn.gov

If you want Tennessee or Florida

From the results provided, the only agency that explicitly says it serves both Florida and Tennessee is Destiny Adoption Services. It appears on the Tennessee DCS 2025 fee schedule and advertises itself as an adoption agency in Florida and Tennessee. destinyadoption.com

Its Tennessee fee-schedule data shows:

• Application fee: $1,000
• Home study: $1,300 or $1,500 depending on timing
• Home study update/addendum:

Adoption Agencies in Tennessee and Florida

Both states have a range of licensed private, nonprofit, faith-based, and foster-care adoption agencies. Here's a breakdown to help you narrow your search:

Tennessee

Established Private/Nonprofit Agencies: - Nonprofit adoption agencies in Tennessee, such as Adoptions With Love, offer expectant/birth parents the financial, legal, medical, and emotional support they need.

- Jewish Family Service is a licensed child-placing agency in Tennessee with more than 40 years of experience in adoption services in Nashville and Middle Tennessee.

- Show Hope exists to mobilize individuals and communities to join God's revolution to care for orphans in their distress, helping to provide waiting children with food, shelter, medical care and forever families.

Other notable agencies to research: - Harmony Family Center, Small World, Miriam's Promise, and Covenant Ranch are among the larger organizations in the state

• American Adoptions and Bethany Christian Services also operate in Tennessee, according to search results

- Harmony Family Center (Knoxville), Destiny Adoption & Consulting Services (Farragut), Adoption Promises, Inc. (Smyrna), and Bethany Christian Services (Knoxville) conduct home studies in East Tennessee

Official Resource: For a verified, up-to-date list, contact the State of Tennessee Department of Children's Services Office of Child Welfare Licensing in Nashville at (615) 532-5640 .

Florida

Established Private/Nonprofit Agencies: - ACF Adoptions is a private non-profit, licensed adoption agency in Miami, Florida, providing legal and social services to birth mothers and adoptive parents since 1992.

- Adoption by Shepherd Care (ASC) was founded in 1980 and is currently the oldest Florida-based adoption agency, operating as a faith-based agency offering adoption support to clients of all faith backgrounds.

- Gift of Life Adoptions is a licensed, private Florida adoption agency that has been helping create families through adoption for the past 25 years.

By Category (per adoptionagencies.com):

• Foster Care Agencies:

Children's Home Society, Eckerd Connects, Fostering Hope Florida, Jewish Adoption and Family Care

• Christian Agencies:

Christian Family Services, Nightlight Christian Adoptions, Life for Kids

• International Adoption:

Adopt International, ACF Adoptions

Orlando-area options: Connecting Hearts Adoption Services (since 2008) and Hope for Families Adoption Services (17 years, one of the largest home study providers in Florida) .

Operating in Both States

Destiny Adoption & Consulting Services is notable because it's a private adoption agency serving both Florida and Tennessee as a licensed non-profit child placing agency. This could be convenient if you're considering either state or might relocate.

Recommendations for Choosing an Agency:

• 1.Verify licensing – Confirm current licensure directly with each state's child welfare department (Tennessee DCS or Florida DCF), since web listings can become outdated.
• 2.Compare services – Look at what's offered for home studies, post-placement support, legal services, and whether they handle domestic, international, or foster-to-adopt placements.
• 3.Check specialization – Some agencies focus on infant adoption, others on foster care, international, or faith-based placements—pick one aligned with your goals.
• 4.Get direct quotes/consultations

The best agency for you depends on the type of adoption you are pursuing: private infant adoption, foster-to-adopt (state custody), or international adoption.

Below is a breakdown of reputable, licensed agencies and state programs in Tennessee and Florida, along with national options that operate in both states.

Tennessee Adoption Agencies

1. Private Domestic Infant Adoption

• Miriam’s Promise (Middle TN / Nashville): A well-established non-profit agency providing domestic adoption, home studies, and birth parent counseling. They emphasize long-term support for both birth and adoptive families.
• Harmony Family Center (Knoxville / Maryville / Statewide): Highly regarded for family support, home studies, post-adoption resources, and foster-to-adopt transitions.
• Lifeline Children’s Services (Offices in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville): A large, Christian-based adoption agency offering domestic, foster care, and international adoption programs.
• Small Miracles Adoption (East TN): A smaller private domestic agency focusing on personalized matching, local placements, and compassionate birth mother support.
• Holston United Methodist Home for Children (Greeneville / East TN): Provides domestic infant adoption services and Christian-based counseling for adoptive families and expectant mothers.

2. Foster-to-Adopt / State Foster Care

• Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS): If you are looking to adopt from foster care, DCS manages state adoptions. Costs are minimal or zero, and subsidies are often available.
• Tennessee Kids Belong: An organization partnering with the state to highlight waiting children and connect prospective parents with foster care adoption training.
• Omni Visions / Camelot Care Centers: Private foster care agencies contracted with the state to train parents, license foster homes, and facilitate adoptions.

Florida Adoption Agencies

1. Private Domestic Infant Adoption

• Heart of Adoptions, Inc. (Offices in Tampa, Orlando, and statewide): One of the largest and most established private licensed agencies in Florida. They handle domestic infant adoptions and offer comprehensive birth parent services.
• Gift of Life Adoptions (Clearwater / Tampa Bay Area): A licensed private agency offering domestic adoption services across Florida, known for personalized care and support for expectant mothers.
• Adoption by Shepherd’s Care (Hollywood / South Florida): A Christian, non-profit licensed agency serving all of Florida with domestic and international adoption programs.
• One More Child (Florida Baptist Children’s Homes) (Lakeland / Statewide): Provides domestic infant adoption, foster care adoption, and home study services across Florida.

2. Foster-to-Adopt / State Foster Care

• Florida Department of Children and Families (ExploreAdoption.com): Florida operates its foster care system through Community-Based Care (CBC) lead agencies depending on your county (e.g., Children’s Network of Southwest Florida, Eckerd Connects, Citrus Health Network).
• Adopting through the Florida CBC network has almost no upfront cost, and Florida offers free state-college tuition waivers for children adopted out of the state foster care system.

National Agencies Licensed in Both TN and FL

If you want a wider reach across multiple states, these agencies are fully licensed to conduct home studies, placements, and legal processes in both Tennessee and Florida:

• American Adoptions: One of the largest domestic adoption agencies in the U.S. They offer strong financial risk-protection programs (reimbursing agency fees if an adoption placement disrupts) and typically maintain shorter wait times due to national marketing.
• Gladney Center for Adoption: A historic, highly regarded non-profit agency offering domestic infant adoption, foster-to-adopt programs, and international options.
• Bethany Christian Services: Has a large presence across both Florida and Tennessee, offering domestic adoption, foster care services, and post-adoption support.

How to Choose the Right Agency

Before committing, set up consultations and ask these key questions:

• 1.Fee Transparency: Is there a flat fee, or are there variable birth mother living expenses?
• 2.Disruption Protection: What happens to your money if an expectant mother decides to parent? (Do you lose the funds, or does the money roll over to the next match?)
• 3.Birth Parent Care: What kind of pre- and post-placement counseling and support is provided to the expectant mother? (Agencies with ethical, compassionate birth-parent support have lower disruption rates).
• 4.Eligibility Criteria: Some agencies (particularly religious non-profits) have strict requirements regarding marital status, religion, or sexual orientation, while others have open criteria.
• 5.Wait Times: Ask for realistic, median wait times (not just the fastest placement they’ve had).

For adopting a child in Tennessee, you should use a licensed child-placing agency and make sure it is currently licensed to operate in Tennessee.¹⁸⁹ Tennessee’s DCS says to obtain a formal home study from a licensed child-placing agency, and to confirm the agency’s licensing status before working with it.¹³⁹

For Florida, the search results you provided do not include Florida’s official licensed-agency list, so I can’t verify specific Florida agencies from these sources alone. One agency in your results, Destiny Adoption Services, states that it serves both TN & FL, but you should still verify Florida licensure directly with Florida’s licensing authority before using it.¹²

If you want agencies that are clearly named in Tennessee’s official materials, these are some of the licensed Tennessee agencies listed by DCS for 2025:⁵

• Adoption Advocacy of Tennessee⁵
• Adoption Assistance, Inc.⁵
• AGAPE Nashville⁵
• America World Adoption Association – Tennessee⁵
• Catholic Charities of Tennessee⁵
• Destiny Adoption Services⁵
• Hope Adoption Agency⁵
• Lifeline Children’s Services⁵
• Miriam’s Promise⁵
• Monroe Harding, Inc.⁵
• Smoky Mountain Children’s Home⁵
• Small World, Inc.⁵

Tennessee also notes that adoption agencies can differ in cost, services, accreditation, and licensing history, so you should compare those before choosing one.⁹ The state’s fee schedule is especially useful because it lists self-reported fees and warns that details can change, so current prices should be confirmed directly with the agency.⁵

If you are choosing between agencies, the safest approach is:

• Check Tennessee licensing on the state list.⁹
• Request an itemized fee schedule from each agency.⁵
• Confirm the home study process and whether the agency handles domestic, foster, or international adoption.¹³
• Ask about accreditation, insurance, and service area.⁹

If you want, I can narrow this to:

• best Tennessee agencies for domestic infant adoption
• best agencies for foster/adoption through DCS
• agencies that serve both Tennessee and Florida

Start with the official state systems. The right agency depends on whether you want to adopt a child from foster care (public adoption) or pursue a private adoption (often an infant).

Tennessee

Public / foster-care adoption: The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) is the state agency.

• Start here: How to Adopt and the Adoption FAQ.
• Contact your local DCS regional office: tn.gov/dcs (regional office list under Contact Us).
• Headquarters: 315 Deaderick Street, Nashville, TN 37238; (615) 741-9701.

DCS focuses mainly on families who foster first. About 80% of children adopted from Tennessee foster care are adopted by their foster parents, who get first preference. If you want to adopt only (not foster), you generally need a formal home study from a licensed private child-placing agency, then submit it for a specific child (for example via AdoptUSKids or a Heart Gallery).

Private agencies: DCS’s Office of Child Welfare Licensing oversees licensed agencies and publishes their fee schedules. Use that official list rather than random directories:

• Adoption Agencies & Licensing
• Current fee schedules (self-reported by agencies): linked from that licensing page

Only licensed agencies (or, in some cases, licensed clinical social workers and attorneys under Tennessee rules) should place children. Confirm current licensure directly with DCS before you pay fees.

Florida

Public / foster-care adoption: The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) oversees the system. Day-to-day adoption services are provided by community-based care (CBC) lead agencies under contract with DCF, not by one central office for the whole state.

Best first step:

• Florida’s Adoption Information Center / Adopt Florida (in partnership with DCF): 1-800-962-3678 (1-800-96-ADOPT) or adoptflorida.org.
• You should be connected with a local adoption specialist within about seven business days.

CBC lead agencies cover specific counties (examples include ChildNet, Citrus Family Care Network, Family Support Services, Kids Central, Heartland for Children, and others). Your specialist or the DCF lead-agency map will point you to the correct one for your area: myflfamilies.com.

Private adoption: Florida allows placements by DCF, Florida-licensed child-placing agencies, and Florida-licensed attorneys acting as intermediaries. DCF licenses private agencies. A downloadable list of licensed adoption agencies is linked from the state’s Explore Adoption local-contact page: adoptionexchange.myflfamilies.com/Local-Contact-Information.

Practical notes for both states

• Public adoption of children already in state care is usually much less expensive (often mainly legal finalization costs, with possible adoption assistance/subsidies). Private infant adoption is typically far more costly.
• Residency, home-study, background-check, and training rules apply. Cross-state placements must go through the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC).
• Always verify that any private agency is currently licensed in the state where you live and where the placement will occur, and consider an adoption attorney familiar with that state’s law (Chapter 63 in Florida; Tennessee adoption statutes under Title 36).

This is general information, not legal advice. The state sites above are the most reliable starting points for current contacts, licensed-agency lists, and process details.