A question that prospective adopters will often ask is, ‘Can I adopt if I have a long-term health condition?’ The short answer to this is, ‘Yes!’ But clearly there are factors to consider when applying to adopt with a long-term illness.
In today’s blog, we’re looking at how your health is assessed during the adoption process, and the realities of adopting with a long-term health condition.
What Do We Mean By a ‘Long Term Health Condition’?
A long-term health condition is any type of physical or mental illness or ongoing issue that lasts for a period of years (or decades). This is quite a broad definition, so it covers many different types of health conditions
Examples of some common long-term health conditions include:
- Asthma
- Autoimmune conditions, such as Lupus
- Diabetes
- Epilepsy
- High Blood Pressure
- Inflammatory Bowe Disease (IBD)
- Mental health issues such as anxiety and depression
- Musculoskeletal conditions, such as chronic back pain
These are just a few of the many health conditions that people may be living with long-term, and as you can see, it includes a broad range of different issues that might impact individuals in a wide variety of ways.
There are millions of people in the UK living with long-term health conditions. In fact, the 2021 Health Survey For England showed that around 40% of those over the age of 16 were living with one longstanding illness or health condition.
Given that this is almost half the adult population, it makes sense that many people looking to adopt a child might be living with a long-term health condition.
How is Adopter Health Assessed During the Adoption Process?
When you apply to adopt, you’ll have an adoption medical assessment as part of the wider adoption assessment process.
Adoption medical assessments are carried out by a qualified GP, and the aim is to build an in-depth picture of your overall health and any factors that might be impacting it.
An adoption medical will look at:
- Your past medical history - any illnesses or operations you’ve had in the past and how you’ve recovered from them.
- Your current physical and mental health - any problems you’re having, medications you’re taking, and any outstanding tests or referrals you might be waiting for.
- Your lifestyle and how this impacts your health - including your BMI, and whether or not you smoke or drink alcohol, for example.
- How your health might impact your ability to care for a child, and any implications of that. For example, if you have ongoing issues around back pain, this could be exacerbated by adopting a young child that needs to be lifted or carried up and down stairs.
Many prospective adopters worry that their health issues will prevent them from being able to adopt a child, or are afraid of ‘failing’ their medical assessment, but an adoption medical isn’t about passing or failing - it’s about protecting your health to ensure it won’t be negatively impacted by adopting, and to ensure that you’re fit and well enough to take care of a child 24/7.
The Impact of Long-Term Health Conditions on Prospective Adopters
The good news is that it’s perfectly possible to adopt if you have a long-term health condition, and lots of people do!
If you’re upfront and honest about your health condition from the start, adoption agencies will appreciate this, and they’ll be able to explore with you how your condition might impact your adoption journey.
Factors to consider might include:
- Physical limitations. For example, could you lift and carry a young child, be on your feet most of the day, and push a pram if needed? If these activities might be a struggle, adopting an older child who is more physically independent might be a better match.
- If your condition means regular medical appointments or unplanned hospital stays, who would look after your child and/or support you during these times? Think about who you could call on in an emergency and what kind of local support network you’ll have as a family.
- Is your condition life-limiting? I.e. is it likely to shorten your life expectancy? Children in need of adoption have often faced significant loss in their early lives, and adoption agencies need to feel as confident as they reasonably can that you’ll be well enough to care for a child well into their adulthood.
- Are you on any medications? If you take regular painkillers, for example, or have IV treatments at home, how will medicines be stored in the home to keep children safe?
- How well managed is your long-term health condition at the moment? Are your symptoms predictable? Are you on a stable treatment regime?
- How have you adapted your lifestyle to minimise the impact of your health condition? For example, have you modified your home? Reduced your working hours? Changed your diet or exercise regime? Do you drive an adapted vehicle? Showing how you’ve responded to your condition demonstrates a good understanding, and an ability and willingness to adapt to challenges.
- Do you have a robust support network that you can call on for practical or emotional support if needed?
If this all sounds quite daunting, don’t panic! You don’t need to have all the answers straight away, but being aware of the kinds of questions an adoption agency might ask around your health condition can help you be better prepared for your adoption medical and improve your chances of being approved to adopt.
Adopting With a Long-Term Health Condition
The important thing to take away, is that if you’re living with a long-term health condition and want to adopt - it can be done!
Adopting while living with a long-term illness or medical condition is about accepting and being honest about your limitations while highlighting the positive aspects too.
For example, living with a long-term health condition shows you’ve overcome challenges in your life. You may also have taken steps to modify your lifestyle and be the healthiest version of yourself, which puts you in a strong position to adopt and be an excellent role model to a child. Plus, many people with health issues have well established support networks that can be of great benefit when adoption.
Orr Medical - Adoption Medical Experts
Here at Orr Medical, we’re adoption medical experts with over 15 years experience undertaking medical assessments for fostering and adoption. We pride ourselves on offering unrivalled support to both our clients and to prospective adopters and foster carers.
For more information about the adoption process and what to expect from your adoption medical, visit our Fostering & Adoption Medical Advice Hub.
Alternatively, if you’re a fostering or adoption agency looking for expert medical support and advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch to find out more about the services we offer. We look forward to working with you.