GOV.UK
Adoption, fostering and surrogacy
Becoming a foster carer, adopting a child from the UK or abroad, looking after someone else's child.
Services
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Apply to adopt a child through your council
Apply to adopt a child through your local council if you are 21 or over and can offer a stable home to a child
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Apply to foster a child through your council
Apply to foster a child through the social services department of your local council
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TSD standards workbook for foster carers
Form for foster carers to prove they meet the required training, support and development (TSD) standards.
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Plan your adoption leave
Work out your Statutory Adoption Leave dates - Ordinary and Additional Adoption Leave period, notice period and earliest start date
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Ofsted annual fostering data collection
Guidance and a suggested template for local authorities and independent fostering agencies to use when sending fostering data to Ofsted.
Guidance and regulation
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Maternity pay and leave
Your Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) and Leave - what you get, how to claim, maternity rights and extra help
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Paternity pay and leave
Your Statutory Paternity Pay and Leave - what you get, how to claim, eligibility
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Child adoption
The adoption process - eligibility, assessment, adoption agencies, overseas adoptions and the rights of birth parents
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Shared Parental Leave and Pay
You can start Shared Parental Leave (SPL) and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) if you're eligible and you or your partner ends your maternity or adoption leave early - eligibility, entitlement, starting SPL and splitting blocks of leave
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Foster carers
Foster carers look after children when their parents aren't able to - becoming a foster carer, money and support available, fostering agencies
News and communications
Policy and engagement
- Foster care in England
- Fostering better outcomes
- Regional adoption agency (RAA) scorecards
- Adoption: a vision for change