What’s the difference between adoption and fostering?
Adoption is for life and involves a legal process in which all of the rights and responsibilities of the birth parents are permanently transferred to the adoptive parent(s). Fostering is different because it provides short or long-term care for children but carers are not legally given all of the rights and responsibilities of the birth parents.
Who are the children?
There are lots of children in Wakefield who need families to offer them a safe and caring environment. Many of the children awaiting adoption in Wakefield come from different ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds and there are children with both physical and learning disabilities.
The majority of children who need adopted carers are over three years old and many have brothers and sisters who are also in need of a secure home and caring familly.
How likely is it that I’ll be able to adopt a baby?
Lots of people would like to adopt a baby but the number of children waiting for adoption in Wakefield under 12 months is very small. We do have babies who need dedicated and caring adoptive parents but the majority of children who are waiting for adoption are over 12 months old.
Does it matter how old I am?
The only age restriction on adoption is that you should be over 21. Apart from that, as long as you’ve got the energy and dedication to care for a child you can apply at any age.
Do you have to be married to adopt?
You don’t need to be married to adopt and you don’t even need to be in a relationship. Whether you’re single, female or male, divorced or in a same sex relationship, you can still apply to adopt a child.
Some of the children in Wakefield waiting for adoption will be better suited to families who already have children of their own, whilst others will thrive in a one-to-one environment so there are many routes to becoming an adoptive parent.
I don’t own my home and I’m unsure if my income is high enough.
Not owning your home is not a barrier to adopting and you don’t have to be in paid employment to apply. To open your home to a child you will need to have enough room to accommodate their needs.
Can I adopt a child from a different ethnic and racial background?
We always try to make sure that children are placed with adoptive parents who can understand and support their ethnic and racial backgrounds, and each child is placed with the person or family that we feel can offer them a caring and fulfilling future.
How long does the application process take?
We always try to meet the national standard time, which is eight months from accepting your application to the panel recommending that you should be approved as an adoptive parent.
Once you’re approved, finding a child that’s the right match can take from a couple of weeks to over a year. The National Adoption Register helps us to link adoptive parents with children in Wakefield to help the process run as smoothly and quickly as possible.
Will I get paid?
Much like a birth parent, becoming an adoptive parent involves looking after the general living costs of children in your care. There is help that you may be entitled to such as an Adoption Allowance and other government benefits depending on your circumstances.
Will I get any other support?
Just like all other children, an adopted child is entitled to government support and medical services depending on their needs. You will also be entitled to additional support, including after adoption services and social worker support.
We've looked at some of most common questions about adoption here for you.
