Adoption, fostering and surrogacy

Becoming a foster carer, adopting a child from the UK or abroad, looking after someone else's child.

Services

  • Maternity pay and leave

    Your Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) and Leave - what you get, how to claim, maternity rights and extra help

  • Paternity pay and leave

    Your Statutory Paternity Pay and Leave - what you get, how to claim, eligibility

  • 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

  • Child adoption

    The adoption process - eligibility, assessment, adoption agencies, overseas adoptions and the rights of birth parents.

  • Looking after someone else's child

    Support and benefits you can get if you're looking after someone else's child, court orders - kinship care, private fostering, friends and family care

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Guidance and regulation

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News and communications

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Research and statistics

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Policy papers and consultations

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Transparency and freedom of information releases

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