Adoption

What is adoption?

Adoption is a way of providing new families for children who are unable to live with their own parents or families.  It is a legal process that joins a child permanently with a new family.  All the rights and responsibilities of parents are transferred to the adoptive parents, making the child a full member of the new family.

Who are the children?

We are always seeking adoptive homes for children aged 3 years and above, groups of brothers and sisters and children with physical and learning difficulties.
Some younger children also need adoptive homes - their birth parents may have used alcohol and drugs during their pregnancy, or have mental health problems, which might affect the child as they grow up.
Some children will have very complicated histories and in most cases the court will have decided that they cannot remain in their birth families.

Why do children need adoption?

Children who need permanent families are usually already "in care" and placed with short term foster carers.  They will be unable, for various reasons to return to their birth parents.  Some children will have been neglected, had very unsettled lives, or have been subject to physical or sexual abuse.  Emotional neglect can be as damaging as physical neglect and children have to learn to feel secure and to trust again.

What about the birth family?

It is natural and right for a child to want to know about his or her birth family and it is therefore important that adoptive parents are able to have an understanding and acceptance of the birth parents as part of the child's life.
Adopters are usually expected to provide some information about the children's progress to their birth family each year and we ask birth families to provide the same for the adoptive family.  Some adoptive children may continue to meet with members of their birth families.

The law requires that all adopted children should grow up knowing about their adoption and allows them at 18 years to have access to their original birth records.  There is a move towards greater openness in adoption and prospective adopters will need to consider what degree of openness they can accept.

What kind of families do children need?

We need a whole range of families to meet the varying needs of the children we place for adoption.  We will always take into account the ethnicity and cultural background of the children we hope to place for adoption and need adopters from all ethnic and religious groups. 

Learning to live with a new family can mean that children will test you to the limit.  Children placed at any age may be resentful, ungrateful, destructive, over-pleasing, seeking attention all the time and some may show sexualised behaviour.
Adopters need stamina, patience, flexibility, the ability to "stick with it" and a good sense of humour helps!  Material considerations are far less important than affection, security, stability and good support from family, friends and community.
We are looking for people who can provide a child with a family for the whole of their childhood and beyond.  You may be single, gay, straight, married, previously divorced, childless or already have children.  You may be working or unemployed.  Legally, no one can become an adoptive parent under the age of 21 years (the exception to this is step-parent adoption).  Couples who are living together but not married or in civil partnerships can now both adopt.

Do applicants have to live in Herefordshire?

No.  We particularly welcome applications from people living in neighbouring counties, as we prefer to place Herefordshire children with families assessed and supported by Herefordshire.
Approved adopters living in Herefordshire are usually matched with a child from outside the county.
Herefordshire children are usually placed with families outside the county.

What happens next?

• Phone the adoption duty social worker for a chat about your interest and circumstances (Mon, Wed and Fri from 9am until 1pm) on 01432383240).
•  If appropriate we will send you an information pack and if after reading the information in the pack, you want to know more, send the reply form back to us.
• Arrangements will be made to come and visit you at home to see whether you have the qualities we look for in adoptive parents and whether adoption might be right for you and your family.
• We will write to you and tell you we think you have the qualities we are looking for.
• You will be asked to provide details for police, health, probation, and local authority checks and for references to be taken up.
• You will be asked to undertake a comprehensive medical with your G.P (for which there will be a charge). The report will be submitted to our agency medical advisor.
• You will be invited to attend a 'preparing to adopt' course.  These are run according to the needs of the agency and the number of applicants
• On completion of the course, if you wish to proceed, an assessment or homestudy will be undertaken.
• A prospective adopters report will be prepared by you and your social worker and presented to the adoption panel who will recommend to the agency whether or not you should be accepted as prospective adopters for Herefordshire.

How long does it all take?

Hard to say - we will prioritise applicants who we consider best able to meet the needs of the children who need adoptive homes.  These are usually older children, groups of brothers and sisters, children with additional needs such as specific ethnicity, culture or religion, physical or learning disabilities and attachment difficulties.

What support and help is available after adoption?

Sometimes adoptive parents are granted an allowance to help ensure a child or children can be adopted.  This applies particularly to older children, family groups, and children with disabilities.  These allowances are broadly in line with the allowances paid to foster carers and are reviewed annually.

After the adoption order has been granted there is no obligation upon adopters to remain involved with the adoption agency.  However, we do have a legal obligation to offer you support and help when requested.  Our adopters also have access to help from Adoption Support, an independent organisation based in Birmingham, but who provide services to Herefordshire adopters, adoptees, and birth families.

Resources

Herefordshire Adoption Agency Statement of Purpose

Adobe PDF

55 kb

Herefordshire Adoption Services Recruitment Strategy

Adobe PDF

67 kb

Herefordshire Adoption Agency Statement of Purpose for Children over 5

Adobe PDF

411 kb

Herefordshire Adoption Agency Statement of Purpose for Children under 5

Adobe PDF

204 kb

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