Frequently Asked Questions
Many people are put off the idea of adoption because they think they are not able to adopt. Here are some of the questions we are frequently asked about adoption.
If there is something in particular you would like to know more about please call us on 01902 553818 .
Yes, we welcome adopters who are self-employed. As with all potential parents, we will explore your finances and you will be asked about your ability to support a child when they come to live with you, and throughout their childhood. You will need to take a period of adoption leave to settle your child into your home, create a bond and help them feel safe and secure. This depends on your child and their needs, and should be at the very least 6, ideally 12 months. You will need to let us know how you will support yourself and your family during this time.
As a couple coming to adoption, you need to have been living together at least two years. The length of the relationship beyond that does not matter. As with all potential parents, you will need to demonstrate the strength of your relationship and that it is well established. It is important that couples are able to demonstrate that they have dealt with challenges together and how you will plan to co-parent.
Yes, you can adopt if you are single. Being a single person can benefit some of our children and many single people make very successful adoptive parents. You will need to consider and assess the extra demands of being a single parent, such as your finances. You will also need to have a strong support network around you.
We value diversity and welcome adopters regardless of their sexuality or gender. The same criteria apply to all prospective adopters. If adopting with a partner or spouse, we would expect you to have lived together for at least one year, and for there to be evidence that it is a stable and enduring relationship.
Our requirement is that you are able to care for and raise a child throughout their childhood. We need to be sure that adopters are healthy enough to parent a child into adulthood and that the child will have a healthy and active lifestyle too.
This can be a sensitive issue, but it is one we will discuss with you and we will take into account the report from your GP, and advice from our own medical advisers.
Our focus will always be on how adopters can consistently meet the needs of a child throughout their childhood and into adulthood. Every prospective adopter will need to undergo a medical from their GP. Whilst most medical conditions won’t prevent you from adopting a child, we will need to discuss any health concerns in more detail and with advice from our medical advisers. We will consider the support you have from a partner or other close family members or friends, and the long-term prognosis of your condition.
People adopt for many different reasons and it is not essential to have explored having a birth child prior to adopting. For those who have embarked on fertility treatment, we recommend your fertility treatment has come to an end before you start an adoption assessment, as adopting a child needs to be your priority.
Once treatment has ended we recommend that you take some time to time to grieve the loss of not having a birth child and to fully accept that having a birth child is no longer an option. We would recommend at least six months. Some people can be ready to adopt within a few months and for others, it will take longer. We would encourage you to discuss this with us so that we can advise you based on your own personal circumstances.
Many people who come to adoption due to infertility have accessed counselling following fertility treatments and whilst it is not necessary to have done so this is viewed positively.
We welcome adopters of any sexuality, what matters is your ability to offer a home, love, and support to a child who needs adoption. Adopters can be single or looking to adopt jointly with their spouse or partner.
The same criteria apply to all prospective adopters. If adopting with a partner or spouse, we would expect you to have lived together for at least one year and for there to be evidence that it is a stable and enduring relationship.
We welcome enquiries from people who are UK residents, or who are domiciled in Britain. To adopt in England you must be legally resident in the UK, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man, and have been so for at least twelve months. UK citizens living abroad cannot adopt a child from the UK.
EU nationals can consider adopting a child in the UK so long you or your partner have a fixed and permanent home in the UK and that you (and your partner if you have one) have lived in the UK for at least one year.
You may need to take legal advice if you are uncertain.
Yes, we aim to find loving families for all the children in our care, even if ethnicity is not a perfect match. Ethnicity is relevant though, and you will need to have a good understanding of the challenges that raising a child of a different ethnicity may present. We will provide support and encourage you to promote and celebrate the ethnicity, culture, and religion of our children.
