- Home
- What is Adoption?
- Who are the Children who need Adoptive Families?
- Why do Children need Adoption?
- What does the law say about Adoption?
- How do we prioritise enquiries?
- Can I / We apply to Adopt?
- What expectations do we have of you?
- How can I / We show you our skills?
- What happens next?
- What happens once you are approved?
- What support will you receive?
- Adoption FAQs
- Inter-Country Adoption
- Learn about Fostering!
Adoption Frequently Asked Questions
How long will it take for us to be approved as Adopters?
We aim to complete your assessment within eight months from the time that we receive your formal application.
How long will it take before we have a child placed with us?
This will very much depend on the needs of the children available for adoption at the time that you are approved and on your range of acceptance. That is the age and number of children and the backgrounds you wish to consider.
There are very few babies (0-2 years) available to adopt, most of the children who need adoptive families are older than this and are often part of a family group of brothers and/or sisters who need to be placed together.
Am I too old?
You have to be over 21 years old to adopt. There is no fixed upper age limit, but we will take your age into account when we look at whether you will be able to see a child through to adulthood.
We are not married, can we still adopt?
Yes. The Adoption and Children Act 2002 allows for adoption by married couples, unmarried couples, and single people.
Do I have to own my own house?
No – although if you rent your home we expect your tenancy to be secure.
What age would the children be?
This will be discussed with you during your assessment period. Factors that will affect the child’s age will be: your preference, your ages and the ages of any existing children that you may have. The age of child will not be specified in your approval, this allows discussion of a range of children when matches are being considered. Your own views will be very important in this.
Can I adopt more than one child?
Yes. We need families who can adopt family groups of two
or more children together.
I am still having fertility investigations, can I still apply to adopt?
If you are unable to have children because of fertility difficulties, and are currently undergoing fertility treatment it may not be the ideal time to pursue an adoption enquiry. However it can be an ideal opportunity for you to gather initial information about Adoption, particularly with respect to the process and the children who need adoptive homes.
