How To Adopt A Child | Child Adoption |

Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another,
usually a child, from that person's biological or legal parent or parents.
Legal adoptions permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities,
along with filiation, from the biological parent or parents.

Overview:-
To be adopted, a child must:

1- be under the age of 18 when the adoption application is made
2- not be (or have never been) married or in a civil partnership

The child birth parents:-
Both birth parents normally have to agree (consent) to the adoption, unless:

1- they cannot be found
2- they are incapable of giving consent, for example due to a mental disability
3- the child would be put at risk if they were not adopted

Who can adopt a child:-
You may be able to adopt a child if you're aged 21 or over (there is no upper age limit) and either:

1- single
2- married
3- in a civil partnership
4- an unmarried couple (same sex and opposite sex)
5- the partner of the child's parent
There are different rules for private adoptions and adoptions of looked-after children.

Living in the UK:-
You do not have to be a British citizen to adopt a child, but:

1- you (or your partner, if you're a couple) must have a fixed and permanent home in the UK, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man
2- you (and your partner, if you're a couple) must have lived in the UK for at least 1 year before you begin the application process