The Adoption Process
Delivering high quality adoption services for 90 years
Call: 0800 652 6955
Our Steps to Adoption…
You’re already on step 1!
If you have any questions or you are not sure which route you want to take, we can help!
Got a question? Get in touch with us today.
When you are ready to take the next step we will ask you to complete an application form to register your interest for adoption; this allows us to begin the process of preparing you to become an adopter and is known as Stage 1.
There are a number of checks we need to do as part of the process, here are some of the checks we complete:
- A DBS check. It is important that any criminal convictions or cautions are reported to us at the earliest opportunity, ideally at the first point of contact with us, as later disclosure could compromise your assessment.
- We will need three references from you, one of which can be a relative.
- A current reference from your employer and from any previous employers particularly where you’ve worked with children, young people or vulnerable adults.
- A reference from any volunteering you may have done, particularly that involved working with young people or vulnerable adults.
- We would need to contact any ex-partners and particularly ones with whom you have parented children. This isn’t to obtain a character reference but for us to make sure we are fulfilling our safeguarding duties. We will talk this through with you before contacting an ex-partner.
- We would need to contact any adult children you may have had and if you have any school-aged children we would need to speak with their school.
- We would also need a medical report from your doctor.
Got a question? Get in touch with us today.
We ask you to join us in group training and preparation sessions which provide the perfect opportunity to meet other potential and approved adopters to learn more about becoming an adoptive parent with Caritas Care.
Once we’ve received your checks and references and you have completed the initial training, we’ll review all this information together with you and decide the best way to move forward.
Once all checks and information is satisfactory for both parties, we will move onto Stage 2 and arrange a series of appointments for you you with your dedicated social worker.
Your social worker will then put together a report, which will include information about your lives, your family and your experiences that have shaped you into the people you are today.
After your report is signed off by you and your social worker, you’ll be invited to attend the adoption panel who will have read your report.
After meeting you and discussing the content of your report, they will make a recommendation about your suitability to adopt. We’ll make sure we are with you on the day and tell you everything you need to know about the process.
You’re nearly there. You’ve become an approved adopter and now it’s all about finding the right placement for you and the children awaiting adoption.
You’ll have every chance to discuss children’s profiles with us and we will support you in identifying a child/ren which will be the best possible match with you and your family.
Now it’s the exciting part!
The first meeting between you and the child (or children) will be the beginning of a gradual process of getting to know each other before your child comes to live with you.
It’s here! But this isn’t the end of the story, it’s just the beginning.
We know that the process can seem overwhelming, but we want to reassure you that we’re dedicated to supporting you every step of the way. You’ll never be left alone to deal with the process, and we’ll do everything we can to make sure you’ve got all the advice and guidance you need.
