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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…

Child Trust Fund accounts - find a lost account, how to make payments, managing the account

• Overview

  A Child Trust Fund is a long-term tax-free savings account for children…

• Find a Child Trust Fund

  Contact your Child Trust Fund provider directly if you know who the…

• Managing the account

  If you’re the main contact for the Child Trust Fund account you’re called…

• Adding money to the account

  Anyone can pay money into a Child Trust Fund account. The Child Trust Fund…

• What happens when your child is 18

  On your child’s 18th birthday, the Child Trust Fund matures. This means…

• Accounts for children in care

  Some children looked after by local authorities have a Child Trust Fund…

• If your child is terminally ill or dies

  If your child is terminally ill you can take money out of their Child…

Child Benefit - child benefit rates, eligibility, how to claim, child benefit claim form CH2.

• How it works

  You get Child Benefit if you’re responsible for bringing up a child who…

• What you'll get

  There are 2 Child Benefit rates. Who the allowance is for Rate (weekly)…

• When and how it's paid

  Child Benefit is usually paid every 4 weeks on a Monday or Tuesday. You…

• Who can get Child Benefit

  Only one person can get Child Benefit for a child. You normally qualify…

• Make a claim

  You can claim Child Benefit 48 hours after you’ve registered the birth of…

• Make a change to your claim

  You must report any change of circumstances to the Child Benefit Office.…

• Get help with your claim

  Contact the Child Benefit Office if you have any questions. If you…

How and when to report changes that affect your Child Benefit payments, such as earnings going above £60,000. How to update a change of address or bank details.

Guardian's Allowance help if you're looking after a child who is not your own - rates, eligibility, how to claim, appeal a decision.

How to claim Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay and Leave: what you're entitled to, check if you're eligible and how to claim it.

Find out how to apply to become a child's special guardian.

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

Employer guide to Statutory Adoption Pay and Leave - entitlement, eligibility, notice period, proof of adoption, recover statutory pay

Employee guide to unpaid paternity leave for bereaved partners: what you're entitled to, eligibility, how to claim, how to cancel and other help available.