Step by Step Guide
Understandably, the steps you need to take to adopt a child are necessarily involved, slow, and sometimes frustrating. But remember this is a two-way process and it is a chance for you to think everything through so that you are absolutely sure about the commitment you are making.
There are several steps to go through after you first contact us.
- Step one - register your interest
- Step two - the initial visit
- Step three - preparation and training
- Step four - the home study
- Step five - the adoption panel
- Step six - planning for a child
- Step seven - the Adoption Order
Step One - Register your Interest
Once you have read the information in this pack, you fill in the registration of interest form and return it to us. This form provides us with basic information about you, your family and your home situation. Remember, all sorts of people can make good adoptive parents, it doesn’t matter whether you are married or single, working or unemployed, young or more mature. We want to hear from people from all kinds of backgrounds.
If you are interested in adopting a child over the age of two, a child with special needs, or a family group, we will usually arrange to meet you within two weeks. But if you want to adopt a baby or young toddler we will inform you as to how long you might have to wait before we can visit. There are fewer children under the age of two who come up for adoption and you need to be prepared for a longer wait
Step Two - the Initial Visit
Once we have received your form, we will contact you to arrange a visit by an adoption worker. At this meeting, which usually takes place in your home, you will hear about the children we need families for and we can discuss your interest in adoption in more detail. We will be honest about the rewards and the demands involved in adopting a child. It is important for both of us to be confident about proceeding to the next step.Step Three - Preparation and Training
If everyone is happy to carry on, you are invited to attend a ‘preparation to adopt’ training course. We hold these courses several times a year, so there should not be long to wait to attend one. We aim to make the training as relaxed and enjoyable as possible whilst giving you sufficient information to help you fully consider what adoption might mean for you as a family. You will have the chance to listen to foster carers and experienced adoptive parents to give you a broad picture of what is involved in adopting a child.
At the same time we will carry out a number of statutory checks on you and your family’s background. This will include medical histories, checks with the police and the local authority, and in some circumstances your employer.
After completing your preparation training, you will be invited to make a formal application to Durham County Council.
Step Four - the Home Study
You will be allocated an adoption worker who will carry out an assessment report, called the ‘home study’. In most cases, the same person will continue to work with you after the assessment right through to approval.
The home study is necessarily thorough and may take several months. The adoption worker will visit you in your home on several occasions to assess your suitability to adopt. These sessions will be as relaxed as possible, allowing you to be honest and open about your strengths as well as any areas of concern. The adoption worker will also help you decide what sort of child or children you would be best able to care for.
The home study is challenging and it can feel intrusive, but there are good reasons why it is so detailed. We need to make sure you are right for adoption, and - just as important - you need to be sure you can make a success of it.
You will also need to see your GP for a medical examination, so that we can be sure you are healthy enough to care for a child through to adulthood. And you will need to provide two personal references from people who know you well.
All this information is pulled together into a home study report. You will have the opportunity to see the report and add your own comments.
Step Five - the Adoption Panel
Your home study report is then presented to Durham County Council’s Adoption Panel, a group of people with relevant experience and knowledge, including a county councillor, social workers, professionals and independent people. After considering the report and discussing it with your social worker, the panel makes the recommendation to either approve or not approve you as an adoptive parent. The panel’s recommendation must be authorised by a Senior Manager, who has the final decision. We will tell you the outcome as soon as possible. If you disagree with the panel’s recommendation or the manager’s decision, you have the right to appeal. Remember, 94% of people who get this far are approved.Step Six - Planning for a Child
Once your application to adopt has been approved, we will look to see if there are children waiting for adoption locally who might be a suitable match for you. We may also consider children from other parts of the North East or other areas in the United Kingdom. In some cases we may already have a child or children in mind, so this would make the process quicker.
Once a child has been identified as possibly suitable for you, you will be given full information about their family background, health and education. It will be your decision as to whether a particular child is presented as a match for you. Then the Adoption Panel will decide whether to recommend that you be matched with the child.
If you want to proceed we will arrange for you to meet the child or children. If everyone is in agreement, and following a planned period of introductions, the child will come to live with you. You will continue to receive advice and support from your adoption worker and we will regularly review you and your child’s progress. You will not be on your own - it is our job to help you through to the time when the adoption is finalised, which is when an adoption order is made to the court.
Your child may need to keep links with their birth family, and this will be discussed with you fully before you decide to go ahead. We will provide you with a contract agreement detailing what is expected of yourself and family members.
