Adoption in Barnet
If you live in Barnet and would like to know more about being an adoptive parent, Adopt London North (ALN) can help you find out more. Working in partnership with Barnet Council, ALN is a local authority-based service assessing prospective adoptive parents and providing support to children and their families throughout the adoption process on behalf of Barnet Council.
Finding out more about adoption
As well as meeting the adoption criteria in the UK you will need an understanding of adoption, and the impact of adoption and separation for a child, especially at a young age. You’ll need to have space in your home and time in your life for a child to grow, and you will need to commit to supporting a child’s early life story and promoting their culture and heritage. Please take a look at our Adoption Information Pack.
Adopt London North host regular online Information Sessions to help Barnet residents find out more about adoption. Social workers will talk you and other families through the process, the children waiting and the type of support available. You can also sign up to hear the experiences of adoptive parents at a Meet The Adopters session. You can click the link on our Events page to book your place with Adopt London North.
Types of adoption
Becoming a parent through adoption is an important decision to make, and one we can help you with. You can adopt through Early Permanence, where you care for a child before the Court decides on the child’s future, or the traditional route where children are adopted from Care. At Adopt London North, we particularly welcome single people and couples (with or without children) who can consider Early Permanence. It has benefits for children, as they have less moves, and whilst it is no doubt rewarding for parents, it can be an emotional experience that may not end in adopting the child you have cared for.
Not all children are in the situation of being adopted via EP. Some children are matched with an adopter following a Placement Order being issued by the Court. All adopters go through the same assessment process.
It is important that we take on families who reflect and/or can promote the children who need adoption; their culture and identity, and who can help a child manage their early life experiences. We especially need families from London’s Black and mixed heritage community.
Some children need to be adopted together as brothers and sisters, and some have diagnosed needs or physical challenges. Our children need love, guidance and support.
Taking the next steps
Be inquisitive.
Start having conversations with other adoptive parents (whichever route they selected) and find out how adoption has impacted their lives. Come along to Adopt London North’s online sessions listed above. Each Meet The Adopters session is unique and gives residents the opportunity to meet adoptive parents who will answer questions about their adoption experience, their motivation and what life is really like as an adoptive family. To book your place, click the link to our Events page and select a session hosted by Adopt London North. We’ll send you a link to join the session nearer the time.
You can also tune into podcasts, click here to listen to the Daddy Life London podcast or read adopters’ stories – on our News and Blog page.
Lean-in learning.
It’s important to research adoption from all perspectives, but especially the children’s. Not just the baby or young child you hope to adopt, but the teenager and adult they become, and what adoption means to them throughout their life. The latest national campaign features people who have been adopted. Read about their experiences on our You Can Adopt page.
Taking time.
At this early stage of your adoption journey, immerse yourself in adoption; read books, listen to podcasts and consider what adoption would mean to you and your family. If you need more information our Frequently Asked Questions page answers a lot of questions that will help. If you would like to discuss your own situation, please email the team on [email protected] to arrange a convenient time to speak.
Thank you for your interest in adoption.
