Domestic adoption
Domestic adoption, what most people know to be adoption, is when you adopt a UK child who is in the care of the local authority because they are not able to live with their birth family. You will work closely with an adoption agency, such as us here at Adopt London, to complete the assessment process and become approved to adopt. We will then help you find the right child to provide a safe, loving and permanent family home for.
Early Permanence
Early Permanence is an important part of modern adoption. It’s an umbrella term for a forward-thinking approach to care planning that offers some children a chance to move into a safe, stable and loving home as early as possible under fostering regulations with dually approved adoptive parents, whilst the courts decide what is in their best interests.
Whilst commonly used for babies and young children, Early Permanence can be used for children of all ages. At its heart, it’s about minimising disruption. reducing the number of moves a child in care experiences, and giving children the best possible start in life.
We urgently need more adopters to consider Early Permanency. If you think Early Permanence might be for you, we’re here to chat whenever you’re ready.
Early Permanence
Explore more about domestic adoption
Adoption in the black community
Black & mixed-ethnicity children often wait the longest to be adopted
Black adoption
Transracial families
Adopting a child of a different racial or ethnic background
Transracial adoptionDomestic adoption FAQs
What is domestic adoption? +
Domestic adoption, usually known as simply adoption, is the legal process of adopting a child who is resident in the UK. This can include Early Permanence, single parents, LGBTQ+ people, transracial families and Black families.
What’s the difference between fostering and adoption? +
Adoption is a permanent legal status that transfers all parental rights and responsibilities to the adoptive parents. Fostering is a temporary arrangement aimed at caring for a child while the birth family works with Social Services to demonstrate their ability to provide a safe and stable home.
What’s the difference between domestic adoption and intercountry adoption? +
Domestic adoption involves adopting a child who lives in the UK. Intercountry adoption involves adopting a child from another country and often requires additional legal and immigration processes.
How long does domestic adoption take? +
Typically, all domestic adoption processes take 6+ months. However, the length of time it takes before you are able to apply for an Adoption Order may be longer with Early Permanence. Intercountry adoption is often the longest process, due to the need for immigration checks, overseas legal processes and matching logistics.
How do I know which route to adoption is right for me? +
The right route to adoption for you will depend on your personal circumstances and expectations. Attending one of our information events is a great way to find out about the domestic adoption process, the children waiting, and the support available.
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