Family benefits for adoptive parents

Adoptive parents are eligible for family benefits

What benefits do adoptive parents receive?

Adoptive parents are entitled to many state benefits, including child benefit, parental allowance and can take parental leave. On the Familienportal.NRW we give you an overview of claims, requirements and application procedures for family benefits.

Parenting Benefit

Parental allowance is compensation for lost income when parents take care of a child after its birth. The benefit allows parents to spend time with their child during this important phase. You can also receive parental benefit for your adopted child, up to the child's 8th birthday. You are entitled to parental allowance from the first day you take the child into your family or household. This means that you can receive parental allowance while you are still caring for the adopted child, even if the adoption procedure is still ongoing. You can find out which parental allowance variants are available and how to apply for parental allowance here on the Familienportal.NRW.

Parental leave

Parental leave allows mothers and fathers a career break to spend time with the child and accompany the growing up. Also adoptive parents and foster parents stands up to 3 years of parental leave. The same rules apply as for natural children. Parental leave can be taken as soon as you take the child into yourr family. So also already during the adoption care, if the adoption procedure is still running. In the case of an adoption abroad, the entitlement to parental leave begins as soon as the adopted child is handed over to you. Travel to the child's country of origin does not count as parental leave. More information worth knowing about parental leave can be found here on the Familienportal.NRW.

Child benefit

Adoptive parents are entitled to child benefits for their adopted children. The child benefit is independent of the child's nationality, but the claimant must live with the adopted child in Germany. They are entitled to child benefits from the time the child is adopted into the household. This also applies to children who are in adoptive care and have not yet been adopted. All information on child benefit and the application procedure is available here on the Familienportal.NRW.

Midwifery Aid

If you adopt an infant, you as adoptive mothers and fathers, like birth parents, are entitled to the care of a midwife. The midwife accompanies the healthy development of the baby, answers all questions and supports the adoptive parents in the start into the common family happiness. Most health insurance companies cover the costs. Which costs are actually covered varies from health insurance to health insurance. It is best to contact your health insurance company directly in order to clarify the coverage of costs. You can find more information about midwife assistance here on the Familienportal.NRW.

Health insurance

Also adopted children must be health insured - either as a member of the statutory or a private health insurance. It is regulated by law in which insurance company the child is co-insured: If there is a difference in income, then the child in question is co-insured in the insurance company of the parent who has the higher income. If the parent with the higher income is legally insured, the child can be co-insured via the family insurance without having to pay premiums. If the parent with the higher income has private insurance, the adopted child must also have private insurance. Inquire for more information directly at your statutory health insurance or private health insurance.

Where can we find help and advice?

Adoptive parents are closely supported by the professionals of the supervising adoption agency during the adoption care period. The focus is on establishing a stable parent-child relationship and, if necessary, providing targeted support. Especially when there are special care needs. The placement offices offer preparatory courses, seminars, individual and discussion groups as well as exchange with other adoptive parents. Even in the period after the adoption, parents can turn to the professionals at any time if they have questions about counseling and support services.