Services

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

• Overview

  To be adopted, a child must: be under the age of 18 when the adoption…

• Early stages of adoption

  To adopt a child you can go through either: an adoption agency that’s part…

• Adoption assessment

  Once the agency gets your application it will do the following: Invite you…

• Applying for an adoption court order

  To make an adoption legal, you need to apply for an adoption court order.…

• Adopting a stepchild

  You need to tell your local council if you want to adopt your spouse’s or…

• Adopting a child from overseas

  You can adopt a child from overseas if: they cannot be cared for in a safe…

• Birth parents: your rights

  For another couple (or person) to adopt your child, you normally have to…

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

• Overview

  When you take time off to adopt a child or have a child through a…

• Leave

  Statutory Adoption Leave is 52 weeks. It’s made up of: 26 weeks of…

• Pay

  Statutory Adoption Pay is paid for up to 39 weeks. The weekly amount is:…

• Eligibility

  There are different eligibility rules for leave and pay. Adoption leave To…

• How to claim

  The rules are slightly different if you’re adopting from overseas or…

Legal rights for intended parents and surrogates; how legal parenthood is transferred; children born outside the UK; pay and leave rights

• Overview

  Surrogacy is legal in the UK, but if you make a surrogacy agreement it…

• Become the child’s legal parent

  You must apply for a parental order or adoption if you want to become the…

• Children born outside the UK

  If your surrogate gives birth abroad, you can only apply for a parental…

• Pay and leave

  You and your partner may be eligible for adoption pay and leave and…

Apply to adopt a child through your local council if you are 21 or over and can offer a stable home to a child

Work out your Statutory Adoption Leave dates - Ordinary and Additional Adoption Leave period, notice period and earliest start date

Checklist detailing the paperwork adoption agencies must include in intercountry adoption applications they submit to DfE.

• From: Department for Education

What the fund is for and how to apply for it.

• From: Department for Education