Where can I find more information about adopting a child? Expand UK wide Adoption UK: www.adoptionuk.org provides information and support for adoptive parents, including helpline support, with separate dedicated lines for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. New Family Social: www.newfamilysocial.org.uk is the UK network for LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) adoptive families. England First4Adoption: www.first4adoption.org.uk is an information service for people interested in adopting a child in England. Government website: www.gov.uk/child-adoption provides an overview of the law as it relates to adopting a child in England. Wales The National Adoption Service: www.adoptcymru.com promotes and supports best practice in adoption across Wales. Scotland Scottish Government: www.gov.scot/policies/looked-after-children/adoption/ provides an overview of the law as it relates to adopting a child in Scotland. For a simpler overview of the law in Scotland go to: mygov.scot Northern Ireland Northern Ireland government: www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/adopting-child The Regional Adoption and Fostering Service: www.adoptionandfostering.hscni.net work closely with the five HSC Trusts to recruit, support and provide learning and development opportunities for adoptive families.
What happens when a child enters care? Expand The local authority will start ‘care proceedings’ if they’re worried about a child and apply to a court for a ‘care order’. This means the local authority will have ‘parental responsibility’ for the child and can decide where they live. If the child cannot be returned home safely after efforts have been made to support and help the family, the local authority can apply to the court for a ‘placement order’. This means that the child will be adopted and the searching for a suitable adoptive family begins. In order for the court to consider making a placement order, a social worker, an officer from the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) and other people will look at why the child may be at risk and what can be done to keep them safe. The social worker and Cafcass officer will each write a report for the court. These will outline what they think should happen to the child - whether they think the child should be taken into care or stay with the family. The judge will look at the reports, and listen to everyone involved in the case, including the child and their parents. The child will go back home if the judge decides that it is safe for them to do so. If not, the local authority will find them a new home. That may be with other members of their family, a children’s home, a foster carer or an adoptive family. The final part of the adoption process is the ‘adoption order’. This is given when the court agrees that a child can live permanently with their approved adopters, and can only be granted after a child has lived in their prospective adoptive placement for at least 10 weeks.
What is the difference between adoption and fostering? Expand Adoption and fostering both provide a safe and secure home for children, but they differ in terms of the carer’s rights and responsibilities. When a child is adopted, their adoptive parents become their legal parents, and all legal ties with the birth family are severed. The child's birth parents no longer have any parental rights and responsibilities, and all important decisions are taken by the adoptive parents. When a child is in foster care, rights and responsibilities for the child are shared between the birth parents and the local authority. Foster carers provide day-to-day care for the child and work in partnership with social workers and birth parents on any important decisions about the child. Fostering a child is usually a temporary arrangement. Depending on the needs of the child, it can involve short or long-term fostering, a short break or emergency care, or fostering to adopt – where a child is fostered with the aim of adoption. For further information on fostering take a look at the Fostering Network website. A child can also be cared for by a member of their extended family or family friend, who are given parental responsibilities under special guardianship arrangements. This is an arrangement that has to be agreed by a court.
What is a Regional Adoption Agency (RAA)? Expand The government in England has put in place a range of changes to improve the adoption process. One major change involves setting up a more regionalised adoption service. This means that local authorities and VAAs in the same areas join together to form one larger organisation, known as a Regional Adoption Agency. Together they can pool resources and provide improved adoption and adoption support services. Further information on RAAs can be found here [erm….I couldn’t find a single site with good information!!]
What is a VAA? Expand Voluntary adoption agencies (VAAs) recruit, assess and approve families for children for whom adoption is the plan. They also work with local authorities (LAs) and regional adoption agencies (RAAs) to match, place and support these children with prospective adopters. Find out more about adopting through a VAA here.
What are the first steps when thinking about adopting a child? Expand Do your research. Find out as much as you can to help you decide if adopting a child is what you want to do. Look at various adoption agency websites and organisations that support adoptive parents. When you’re ready to take the first step, you can make contact with an adoption agency. This can be a voluntary adoption agency (VAA), your local authority (LA) or a regional adoption agency (RAA). You can find a full list of VAAs here, or search to find your local VAA here. You can contact more than one agency at this stage to see which one you prefer, but you can only go through the assessment and approval process with one adoption agency. When you make contact with an adoption agency they will send you information about the adoption process. You will then be invited to a meeting or information session with other people who are interested in adoption. Once you decide to proceed with an agency, you will lodge what is called a Registration of Interest and your adoption journey will begin! Information on the full adoption process can be found here.
Who can adopt a child? Expand Adoptive parents come from a range of backgrounds. The only requirements are that you are over 21 years of age. You can adopt if you are: Single, married or unmarried From any ethnic or religious background Heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender A homeowner or living in rented accommodation Employed or on benefits Already a parent, or not a parent yet Adopting for a second, third, fourth, etc. time A British citizen, or permanently resident in the UK for at least the past 12 months Your adoption agency will carry out further checks, including police checks. Having convictions or cautions will not automatically rule you out unless you have been convicted of or cautioned for specified criminal offences against children, or sexual offences against adults. Further information can be found in myth busting section.