New Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund Applications on hold pending government decision.

Finding out about adoption

If you live in Islington and want to know more about becoming an adoptive parent like Abena, you’ll find some great ways to learn more from Adopt London North. Working in partnership with Islington Council they find adoptive parents and support children and their families. At Adopt London North, we’ll tell you about the criteria for adoption and the best ways to start your research to support your adoption learning.

Adoption criteria

You need to be:

  • Over 21 years old
  • Have in a permanent home and have lived in the UK for at least 12 months. You must have legal status to live in the UK.
  • Have no criminal convictions against children or vulnerable adults

To be an adoptive parent you will need an understanding of adoption, and the impact of adoption for a child 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.

Be inquisitive

Start having those conversations and find out what adoption means to parents who have already adopted a child.

Come along to Adopt London North’s Meet The Adopters online sessions. They give Islington residents the opportunity to meet adoptive parents. They will answer questions about their adoption experience, their motivation and what life is like as an adoptive family. To attend any of these unique sessions, click the date you can attend, and we’ll send you a link to join the session nearer the time. The sessions are at 7.30pm.

Thursday, 16 November 2023

You can also tune into podcasts to find out more about adopting a child, and what life is like when you adopt. There are so many podcasts to choose from, each with a different perspective!

Adoption Shared podcasts – by our partners We Are Family.  In each episode, host Eddie Elliott meets adopters and professionals who share their insight and experiences of the adoption journey from a variety of different perspectives. Their third series looks at adoption in the Black community.

You Can Adopt podcasts – Hosted by the national adoption team, you can hear from real people, in their own words.

New Family Social – Adoption, Fostering and Tea – open to LGBTQ+ families wanting to adopt. Sign up for a membership and you will have access to the full range of podcast episodes.

 

Lean-in learning

It was important to Abena to research adoption from the perspective of the babies and children who need to be adopted. What could she and her family offer to support the child who would join their family?

Watch the Our Children animated film to ‘meet’ just some of the children who need informed and understanding people to become their adoptive parents. Our children come from a range of backgrounds, and we need families who can promote and reflect their heritages – especially those from the Black communities. Some children need to be adopted as brothers and sisters, and some have diagnosed needs or physical challenges. Our children need love, guidance and support based on their needs.

Read some of the many books and blogs available about adoption, and visit websites that provide different perspectives. Take a look at the Adopt London resources page or search online for UK adoptee blogs.

 

Taking time

At this early stage of your adoption journey, take time out to immerse yourself in adoption, and what it would mean for a child. Not just the young child you hope to adopt, but the teenager and adult they become.

This stage of your research into adoption can take anything between three months to three years and beyond! If you need more information about adoption, visit the Adopt London website. Our Frequently Asked Questions page answers a lot of questions that will help you think about how to get ready for adoption. To discuss your own situation, please email the team on [email protected] to arrange a convenient time to speak.

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