Who can be an adopter
You need to:
- be over 21 years old - there's no upper age limit
- have stopped fertility treatment if you’ve been trying to conceive
- have a spare room
- be reasonably fit, healthy and energetic enough to provide care for a child or young person
It does not matter if you:
- are single, living with a partner, married or a same sex couple
- have a religious or cultural background
- have have children or step-children or you may have no children at all
- are a tenant or a home-owner, living in a house or a flat
Physical and mental health to check
During your adoption assessment, we will ask you to complete a medical examination with your GP which will include an assessment of your Body Mass index (BMI). This will look at both your physical and mental health to check that you're fit and healthy enough to meet the needs of a child both now and as they grow into adulthood.
Provide emotional support
Children need adoption for many different reasons but they have all experienced the trauma of being separated from their birth families. Many have also experienced neglect and abuse. It's not surprising that sometimes they find life difficult and become overwhelmed by their emotions which can be evident in their behaviour.
You will need to be able to stay calm when the child is struggling, to listen and understand, and to be patient and connect with them.
You'll need to help the child understand their life story and why their birth parents cannot care for them. This supports their identity and helps them make sense of ongoing contact with their birth family either through letters or face-to-face.
If you're single and want to adopt
We have lots of adopters who are single. The important thing is that you have a strong support network who can provide you with practical as well as emotional support because it can be hard work being a parent at times. Also raising children can be expensive so think about your finances carefully.
If you are from the LGBTQI community
We welcome people who are from the LGBTQI community whether they are single or in a relationship. LGBTQI adopters have had the same right to adopt since 2005 and the number of LGBTQI adopters increases yearly.
Find more information on the New Family Social website.
If you already have children
We welcome people who have experience of parenting and those who don't but we do prefer a two year age gap between any birth children and adopted children.
If you have a criminal record
Every individual circumstance will be explored in detail to examine the context, severity of the crime and how this could impact on your ability to keep a child safe. A Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) check is required for all applicants.