Are you considering having your child adopted?

You may be a new parent who has not had enough support during your pregnancy and childbirth. Those around you may not have known what to say or you may not have had anyone to talk with to help you decide if adoption is the right choice.

Advice

We can help by providing advice about the different options.

What happens next

When assessing an application for adoption, the court will take many factors into account including how other family members, including grandparents, will be affected if the order is granted.

If adoption is seen as the best plan for your child, the adoption agency will start looking for a suitable new family. The needs of your child will be the priority during the careful process of adoption.

Wherever possible we will try to find a family of the same ethnic and cultural origin as your child and will consider your wishes about the child's religious upbringing. The adoptive parents will be fully assessed. 

Your involvement

You may wish to meet the adoptive parents. You may decide to write a letter or send a photograph of yourself. The level and type of contact with your child after adoption will be discussed and will again depend upon your child's needs. The adoptive parents will then apply to the court for an adoption order and you will be asked to sign an agreement for your child to be adopted.