Deciding to adopt is a life-changing decision. There’s so much to think about, including practicalities, such as getting a room ready for an adopted child and making sure you’re healthy and ready for the demands of parenthood
If you’re considering adoption, you might be feeling excited, nervous, confused or a combination of all three! Our helpful guide breaks down what to consider when getting ready to adopt
Who Can Adopt?
In the UK, anyone over the age of 21 can apply to adopt. You can adopt whether you’re single, in a relationship or married. If you’re not a British Citizen, then you must have a permanent home in the UK and have been living here for at least a year before you apply. Potential adopters must also be free from criminal convinctions involving children or violence.
Understanding the Adoption Process
When considering adoption, it’s important that you understand the process involved in being approved to adopt.
You’ll find a handy step-by-step guide to the adoption approval process on our website.
The assessment process to become approved as an adopter is understandably rigorous. It involves a series of initial checks, including references from people who know you, a DBS (criminal record) check, and a full medical. You’ll also be expected to undertake preparation training to learn more about adoption and the needs of children waiting for adoptive families.
These checks are known as ‘Stage One’ of the process and should take around two months to complete.
In Stage Two, you’ll undergo an in-depth assessment by a social worker. This involves regular meetings with a social worker, usually in your home, where s/he will get to know you and begin compiling a Prospective Adopters Report (PAR) to present to panel at the end of the process. This stage normally takes around six months.
Finally, your PAR will be presented to an independent panel, and if you’re approved for adoption, the matching process can begin.
Getting Ready to Adopt
The assessment process for adoption can be intense, so before you submit your Registration of Interest (ROI) to an adoption agency or local authority, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re ready for what’s ahead.
Research Adoption
When it comes to adoption, preparation is key! Knowing what to expect can help you plan for any hurdles you might face along the way.
Use trusted resources to learn more about adoption, such as:
- The gov.uk guide to adoption
- Adoption UK - a leading adoption charity
- Adoption England - a collaboration of Regional Adoption Agencies (RAAs) working together
You can also find out more about adoption in different parts of the UK from specific adoption agencies that cover your local area, and local authority (LA) adoption pages.
Get to Know Other Adopters
Getting to know others who have been through or are currently going through the adoption process can offer insight and strengthen your support network for the journey ahead.
Your Home
All adopted children need a room of their own. This is something that will be explored with you early on in the process. While you don’t need to have the room decorated and furniture at this early stage of the process, it’s a good idea to have it clean and clear so that your assessing social worker can see that it’s safe and suitable.
If you don’t already have children living with you, consider how your home can be made safe for an adopted child or children. For example, will you need stair gates or a fireguard? Do you have smoke alarms and child-safe locks on upstairs windows?
Adopted children need stability, so adoption agencies and LAs will want to know that you don’t have any plans to renovate or move house in near future.
Work and Finance
Adoption can impact your career and finances. If you work, you’ll need to find out how much adoption leave you’re entitled to, and what package of support your employer offers. Before embarking on adoption, it’s a good idea to clear or pay down any debts you have or build your savings.
Your assessing social worker will want to hear about your plans for returning to work after adoption, although you may need to be flexible about this depending on the needs of your adopted children.
Other things to consider, include:
- If you’re part of a couple, who will take adoption leave and when?
- What would you do if you couldn’t return to work?
- If you’re working from home, is there a designated space for you to do that without interruption?
- What childcare support will you have in place?
Travel
f you like to travel, think about any upcoming trips you have planned. Adoption agencies will usually ask you whether you’ll be taking any holidays during the assessment process to minimise disruption and delays.
While adopted children can, of course, go on holiday, they will need an extended period of time to settle in to their new family, home and routine so it’s best not to plan big family trips until after this time.
Relationships
If you’re part of a couple, it’s crucial to bear in mind that adoption - like any big life change - can impact your relationship.
Check that you’re both on the same page before you apply to adopt, and discuss big decisions - such as how many children you’d like to adopt, what age range you’d like to be considered for, and whether or not you could adopt a child with additional needs.
Think about about how you’ll share the parenting load, and how you’ll make time for yourselves and one another once a child is living with you.
If you’re a single adopter, you’ll need to demonstrate that you have a robust support network you can turn to when needed.
Your Health
Parenting any child comes with physical and mental demands. When getting ready to adopt, take time to consider your current health and lifestyle, and how adoption might impact these.
All potential adopters must undergo a rigorous adoption medical, which looks at their current health status as well as past medical history.
Adoption medical advisors have an important role to play in helping adoption agencies make decisions about whether or not an applicant is suitable to adopt.
Things to consider, include:
- Do you have the energy to keep up with a young child/children?
Your diet and lifestyle, and how you’ll set a healthy example to an adopted child. - If you smoke or vape. While this won’t necessarily prevent you from adopting, most agencies and local authorities will ask that you take steps to quit before a child is placed with you. Children under 5 also can’t be placed in homes where anyone smokes or vapes (even if they go outside the home to do it).
- Any serious illnesses or surgeries in your past and whether you’re fully recovered.
- If you’re awaiting investigations for new symptoms or have a diagnosed health condition. Again, while this won’t automatically preclude you, it’s important to consider how adopting might impact your health and vice versa.
- Any issues around substance misuse, including alcohol.
- Any past or current mental health issues such as anxiety or depression. Adoption agencies will want to be sure that the process of adoption won’t negatively impact these, and that you have support in place.
You can learn more about the medical assessment process here.
Adoption Medicals at Orr Medical
If you’re getting ready to adopt, we hope this guide on what to consider has helped.
Founded in 2010, Orr Medical has a proven track record of providing in-depth fostering and adoption medical reports. We work with adoption agencies and local authorities across the UK, to deliver an efficient, high-quality service that supports both agencies and applicants.
Find out more about our fostering and adoption medical advisor service and what we offer, or contact us today for expert guidance and timely solutions.