Who can you adopt?
Babies
Within the family placement service babies are available for adoption but only a few are put up for adoption.
Older children
Adopters of older children will be required to meet the same standards as for babies. Many older children awaiting adoption may have experienced earlier traumas in their pasts. They may have been abused or neglected by their parents. Many of these children may have attachment issues which can be resolved within the right secure and loving environment.
Adopting an older child, although often more challenging, can also bring its own rewards in helping that child come to terms with their difficult past and face the future with hope and optimism.
Sibling groups
The family placement service is increasingly aware of the importance of keeping brothers and sisters together. It is hard enough being separated from your natural parents but then to be separated from your siblings can be traumatic.
But placing sibling groups for adoption can be difficult and we welcome prospective adopters who can consider more than more one child and sibling groups.
The family placement service need to be satisfied that the applicants have the right support system to manage these extra demands.
Abused children
Many children placed for adoption may have been physically or sexually abused. All prospective adopters will be offered support and training to prepare them for some of the issues and problems which might arise from the child's experience of abuse.
Far from feeling as though they have been rescued from a traumatic situation, abused children can feel very angry about being separated from their parents or siblings. They may feel that what happened is their fault or even the fault of those who have adopted them.
Sometimes children may demonstrate inappropriate or challenging behaviour within their placement. Anyone considering taking on an abused child may want to consider reading:
The British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering BAAF (external link) have published a book called After Abuse available by calling 020 759 32 072.
Adopting a child from abroad
Sometimes you see heartbreaking pictures of children in distant parts of the world who seem to have no one to care for them. It is natural for people to think about the kind of life these children could have with new adoptive parents in this country, and many people who are not able to adopt a baby in Britain consider looking overseas.
There are no adoption centres in Britain which brings children into the country so would-be adopters have to make their own arrangements and deal with legal complications. Governments of different countries have their own regulations about children leaving their country, and in Britain, Home Office immigration rules also have to be satisfied before a child can enter the country. Then, once the child is here, the adoption process often has to be gone through in a British court. It all takes a lot of time, effort and money.
Quite apart from all these practical difficulties, it is important to consider whether it is right to take children away from their country of birth and bring them into an alien culture. Many people feel that it would be better to provide resources for these children to stay and be brought up in their own countries.
Many governments are unhappy about their children going abroad for adoption. Whatever difficulty a country is experiencing now, its children represents its hopes for the future.
Step children
Adopting a stepchild is an important step with far-reaching emotional and legal consequences and should not be entered into lightly. As well as giving a step-parent the right of parental responsibility for the child, it also changes the inheritance rights of the child. And it means cutting off a child's rights to contact with one of their birth parents and that parent's wider family.
If the step-parent and parent of an adopted child subsequently separate or divorce, both parents will have equal rights. Severing a tie a child has with one of their birth parents can have repercussions later in their lives, particularly when they are teenagers.
Like other adopted children they may feel confused especially if their name changes and they may be resentful that you chose to break off their ties with half of their natural family.
At the moment for a step-parent to adopt a child, the step-parent and one of the child's birth parents must be married to each other and at the Family Placement Service we look for that couples degree of stability and request that they have been married for a period of at least 12 months.
The step-parent must be over 21 to adopt and the parent over 18 and, the child must have been living with them for at least 13 weeks as with all adoptive cases.
The social worker will seek the views of the child or children to be adopted and must make every effort to contact the non-resident birth parent and find out their views.
All parties to the adoption will have to attend the court hearing and if the adoption is contested by the birth parent, they need to attend the hearing or send legal representation.
Once an adoption order is made, all legal links the child has with their other birth parent are over.
Contact us
Fostering and Adoption Services in Walsall
106 Essington Road
New Invention
Willenhall WV12 5EX
Enquiries Freephone 0800 923 3706
All other calls 0845 111 2834
Fax 01922 493824
Email familyplacementsservices@walsall.gov.uk