People may wish to adopt a child for many reasons, for some they may choose it as a result of fertility issues but for others, it will be their first choice for how to extend their family. Further, some do not wish to legally adopt but will foster children instead. This refers to an arrangement in which local authority approved foster parents will look after a child and share guardianship with the local authority without taking on full legal parenthood of the child.
Many children who are adopted are taken into care as a result of abuse or neglect and as a result, may suffer developmental delays or behavioural issues throughout their childhood. There are many children in care, however, most adopted children are under 4, with the average age of adoption being 3 years and 4 months. Older children can be adopted, however, many simply age out of the system when they are of age, often living in foster care until this time. When adopting a child, age and trauma are some of the multitudes of factors that must be considered.
Can I use private or international adoption?
In the UK, private adoption is illegal and international adoption can hold many ramifications. International adoption is still required to go through a UK adoption agency and be legitimised by an adoption order issued by a UK court. It is recommended to speak to a lawyer before pursuing international adoption, as prospective parents must ensure the adoption is carried out legally under the laws of both the UK and the country the child is being adopted from.
Support and Resources
There are several charities, organisations, forums and information pages to support potential adopters through the process. These include:
Barnardo’s
Adoption UK
First 4 Adoption
Adoption Matters
Gov.UK Adoption Guidance
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