Adoption

Adoption is a way of providing new families for children who cannot be brought up by their own parents or their wider family and friends. Normally adoption is only considered when every other possible alternative has been explored.

Adoption is a legal process. An Adoption Order makes an adopted child a full member of your family and transfers all the rights and duties of parents to the adopting parents. Once it has been granted an Adoption Order cannot be reversed.

In this area you can find out about:

• the process of adopting a child (including a child known to you, such as a step-child);
• Support available for adopters and their families;
• Information for people who have been adopted or birth families of children adopted in the past.

Please click on the relevant box at the bottom of this page to find what you are interested in.