Adoption FAQs

Yes. We are open-minded to your relationship status. You can adopt as a single carer or as a couple in a partnership. If you are married or in a partnership, we ask that you have been together as a couple for at least 2 years.

Yes. We welcome everyone, regardless of your sexuality or gender identity – this is not a factor in your right to adopt. What’s more important is that you have the qualities and understanding to parent a child who has experienced a difficult start in life.

Yes. You must be over the age of 21. There is no legal upper age limit, but consideration will be given to the best interests of the child.

Yes! Having children of your own will not exclude you from adopting, whether they are living at home with you or have grown up. We recommend an age gap of at least 2 years between the youngest child and an adopted child. This is based on research which suggests this works best, and in most cases, the adopted child would be younger than the child.

Yes!  Disability is not a barrier to becoming an adopter, in fact, experience of disability will be positively welcomed. Many disabled people who have adopted feel that their life experiences as a disabled person have given them great strengths as an adoptive parent. Many also feel it equips them well to adopt a child with a disability. If you believe you might need some additional assistance to adopt, we may be able to help provide this support. Your social worker will discuss your disability with you and talk about the impact, if any, that it has on your lifestyle and what the implications may be on a child.

Yes! If you have had or are undergoing fertility treatment, we would expect you to complete the treatment before considering adoption.

Our general rule is that you really do need at least 6 months (and often more) after your last attempt at treatment before embarking on the adoption process.

Yes! We welcome adopters from all faiths and cultural backgrounds.

Yes!  People from all ethnic origins are needed. Our aim is to find loving families for each child in need of a happy future, even if there is not a perfect ethnic match. This will be further explored during your assessment process and your social worker will expect you to embrace and explore the child’s cultural heritage in order for them to understand their identity.

If you have been convicted of serious offences such as offences against children, murder, serious sexual offences, or serious fraud then you will not be able to adopt.

With the exception of these specified offences, a criminal record will not necessarily rule you out.

You will need to be smoke-free for at least 6 months before you can start the adoption process. This includes the use of e-cigarettes and vapes.

It is important that children have a safe and stable base, so we expect adopters to have already moved before their child is placed. Your new home will require to be assessed, and we will want to know about the local supports on offer to you.

If you have had a major loss, change in your employment, finances or anything that impacts your emotional state, we may well advise you to wait for a few months to give you the time needed. If you are partway through the process something happens, we may recommend you put the adoption process on hold until other issues have been resolved.