Who can adopt?

All sorts of people can provide a child with a loving and permanent home. 

Kent Adoption Service is looking for all sorts of people to provide loving and permanent homes for children.  We welcome applications from:

• people from different backgrounds and circumstances
• single people and couples in long-term relationships
• people with disabilities and those of any nationality, race, sexual orientation, religion and cultural background.

Adoptive families are particularly needed for older children, groups of siblings and children from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Could you be Millie's forever family?

To be eligible to adopt you must be:

• aged 21 or over  (there is no upper age limit but we need to make sure you will have the health and energy to provide a stable long-term home for the child)
• clear of certain criminal convictions, particularly any offences involving children
• a resident in England or Wales - for more information about adoption visit the BAAF British Association for Adoption and Fostering website.

Practical resources

You don't need to own your own home but we will need to be sure that you have sufficient space and the appropriate financial resources to care for a child. Financial assistance may be available. This will be based on your financial circumstances and the needs of any child to be placed with you.

We expect that an adoptive parent will be at home full-time with a child for at least 6 months initially to help the child settle. This may be longer depending on the child's age and individual needs. Children placed for adoption are often the youngest in a family - we suggest a gap of at least 2 years between the adopted child and any other child in the family.

We aim to assess all applicants in a fair and open way so that we can be sure that the child's adoptive parents can care for the child in a safe and loving environment throughout their lives. KCC adopters' personal stories an article written by parents who adopted their child with Kent.