When you make a decision to a adopt a child, whether you’re an individual or a couple, it should be a happy and joyous experience but is also ban be a frustrating, challenging and can be a long-winded process. There are several ways in which you can adopt a child but most commonly are ‘agency’ or ‘non-agency’ adoptions. Non-agency adoptions are generally stepparent adoptions. Agency adoptions are through a Local Authority. You can also be inter-country adoption which is governed by other criteria.
As can be seen already there are several ways in which you can adopt a child and become their legal parent. By becoming a child’s legal parent through any adoption, it will give you parental responsibility for that child and it will extinguish any persons existing parental responsibility and so it is a serious lifelong commitment that you are giving to a child.
Agency adoptions are probably what most people will commonly conceive adoption to be.
To adopt a child there are certain preliminaries that must be established such as, you must be 21 years of age, you need to be domiciled or habitually resident in the UK and the child you wish to adopt must be under the age of 18 years.
You will be assessed thoroughly by a Social Worker, whether you are adopting as a single person or as a couple. This can feel intrusive and unnecessary when you may not understand the process and what is required. It can be overwhelming but with the correct legal advice and support, it can ease the process so that you are aware of what is expected.
Once the assessment is complete, and it a positive assessment, this will then be presented to a panel, who will review your assessment and hopefully recommend that you are a suitable person(s) to adopt a child.
You will then be ‘matched’ with a child. This will be an exciting time for your family, but there will naturally be apprehension in what and how this is going to impact on your life. There will be series of ‘introductions’ when it becomes very real. You will be supported throughout the whole process and eventually the child will move in and complete your family.
However, that is not the end of your journey as the adoption now needs to become legal. Before your application to adopt the child can be made to the Court that child must have been living with you for at least 10 weeks. The birth parents can either agree or challenge your application to adopt their child. It is only at a final hearing of your application that the Court will make the decision as to whether an adoption order can be made. There will also be a formal Court hearing when you can attend court with the child, and other family members if you so wish when you will receive a certificate – this is generally a celebration for your family, without the birth parents being present or told of the hearing.
You can remain unknown to the child’s birth family, but you can also be involved in post adoption contact with the birth parents which can assist of yearly updates, photos all of which can be managed by you or through the Adoption Agency.
