Programs & Services for Homestudied Families

The majority of MARE’s programs and services are open to all families.  Please visit the Waiting Child section of our website to see all the ways that you can learn about the waiting children.

Additionally, if you have completed the homestudy process and are waiting to be matched with a child, teen or sibling group, you can also utilize the following MARE services:

Register Your Family with MARE
We encourage families from Massachusetts to register with MARE immediately after their homestudy to adopt from foster care is completed. Social workers can also register waiting families from Massachusetts who have completed and approved homestudies to adopt from foster care. The families’ criteria will be compared with the needs of the children registered with MARE. If a potential match is identified, MARE will forward the family’s homestudy to the child’s social worker. Follow-up on such referrals is at the discretion of the child’s social worker.  Registering with MARE is the best way to be matched with all the available children at MARE.  Click here for answers to frequently asked questions about registering with MARE.

Create a Family Profile
Families with completed and approved homestudies are encouraged to partner with their social worker to create a Family Profile that can be shared with social workers at MARE events such as Single Parent Matching Nights and Adoption Parties.  Families who are registered with MARE can also request to have their Family Profile included when MARE sends out their homestudy.

MARE Online Matching Program
This program gives families with approved homestudies the opportunity to search for waiting children who are registered with MARE, including children who are at legal risk and those who are not in the MARE Photolisting®. Click here to view answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the Online Matching Program. Please note that MARE will delete accounts in this program if correspondence is undeliverable to the email address used.

Waiting Family Booklet
MARE has created a booklet specifically designed to assist families with approved homestudies through the “waiting” period.  Many families experience frustration and anxiety during this period because they are not sure what they should be doing.  This booklet provides some suggestions and resources to assist you during this particular stage of the adoption process.

Friend of the Family Program
Families in the process of adoption have consistently commented on the tremendous benefit of speaking with experienced adoptive parents. In response, MARE has created the Friend of the Family Program. This program matches experienced adoptive parents with those in the process of adoption to provide ongoing guidance, encouragement and support.  Please visit the Ways to Help section of our website for more information or to sign up for the Friend of the Family Program.

Single Parent Matching Meetings
MARE hosts matching meetings for social workers and single prospective adoptive parents with approved homestudies. At these meetings, social workers present specific waiting children through verbal descriptions, pictures, videos, etc. To find out about upcoming events, please go to the Event section of the website.