During this time, your child/children and yourselves will be visited and supported by your Social Worker and the child’s Social Worker. There will be regular visits to your home and the placement will be reviewed in accordance with the Adoption regulations, to make sure that all is well and that your child’s needs and those of the family are being met.
The Courts will not consider an Adoption application until the child/ren has lived with you for 10 weeks. Often it is considerably longer as everyone needs to feel that they are ready, that the child has settled and that everyone has made the move to becoming a family.
Once an application to adopt has been lodged in the court, the court process begins. You will be kept informed of the progress each step of the way. You won’t attend court as the social workers involved will be doing so. Courts can sometimes take a few months to grant an Adoption Order. Once this is done, you legally become your child’s parent and guardian.
Transition from foster care to the adoptive home is obviously a major part of this process. Initially you will spend time with your child in the foster carer’s home getting to know the child in an environment that is comfortable for the child. You will have the opportunity to learn from the foster carer the routines that the child is familiar with and as you begin to build your relationship you may take the child out, perhaps to a local park. You may also meet school or nursery teachers at this point.
National Adoption Service Podcast
Episode 4
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Update RequiredTo play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.Post Adoption Support
Our Post Adoption Team are all skilled at supporting families and children who are experiencing difficulties or need guidance and advice. We recognise this is likely and completely normal too!
Some of the support you will be able to access includes:
We also run a range of events and sessions for our adoption community (some are subject to WG funding) such as surfing, sewing workshops, fun days, youth clubs and soft play sessions.