People choose to adopt for a variety of reasons, and there’s nothing more rewarding than opening your heart and home to children who deserve to be loved. The best interests of the child will always be at the heart of the adoption process, and that, of course, means that everyone who wants to adopt a child will need to go through a series of checks to ensure the child lives in a safe home.
If you’re new to adoption, you might be wondering if there’s anything in your past that could disqualify you from adopting. We’re going to take a closer look at the adoption process and show you what Adopters for Adoption look for in a prospective adoptive parent.
What disqualifies you from adoption?
You can be disqualified from adoption if:
- You have convictions involving violence, abuse, or crimes against children. Other offences may still be reviewed depending on how long ago they occurred, but if you’re unsure of something that may affect your application our advisers will be happy to answer any questions.
- You’ve ever been found responsible for abuse or neglect, even without a criminal conviction.
- Your animal is on the banned pets list, such as an XL bully dog. These pets could put a child at risk in the home.
- You’re under the age of 21. You need to be at least 21 years of age to adopt a child.
- You don’t have a spare room available in your home. At Adopters for Adoption we believe that this is essential as an adopted child will need their own room.
- You’re not a permanent resident or a UK citizen. This is another basic requirement to adopt to ensure your child will have stability in their homelife.
- Refusing background checks or home studies. We need to know more about you to determine if you’re able to give a child the love and support they need to thrive. We’ll also need to see the home a child will live in to make sure this is a safe and suitable environment.
If you’re curious about who can adopt or why each of these factors are an important part of the adoption process, we cover them in more detail below.
What adoption agencies look at during the adoption assessment process
- Financial situation – you don’t have to have lots of money, but agencies like Adopters for Adoption want to see that you’re able to reliably support a child through to independence. Your adopted child will need to have stability and security, which financial solvency can help to provide.
- A medical assessment – this is carried out at stage one of the adoption process to assess whether you’re able to meet the needs of a child long-term. Certain medical issues that could prevent you from caring for a child, as deemed by a medical advisor, will be carefully assessed in the adoption process.
- Drug or alcohol addictions – current drug or alcohol addictions could be a major barrier to adoption. However, a past issue may not be a problem if you’re able to show evidence of long-term recovery.
- The stability of your relationship – if you’re applying to adopt as a couple, agencies need to consider how stable your relationship is. Frequent conflict or instability could raise concerns, as a child needs a stable family environment.
- Refusing background checks – this is an integral part of the adoption process, so anyone who refuses background checks, home studies, or provides false information could be declined from adopting. Trust and transparency are essential in the adoption process.
- Adequate support network – this will be an essential part of your adoption journey, particularly if you’re adopting as a single parent. We want to ensure that your adopted child or children can benefit from extended support, as adoption can be challenging. You can also take advantage of adoption support from your agency.
- Unrealistic expectations – we need to match children with families and individuals who can meet their emotional and developmental needs. If you’re expecting a child to be ‘perfect’ or are unwilling to recognise that children may have or may develop additional needs, this could be a barrier in the adoption process. Children who enter care carry trauma and need a nurturing, loving environment to thrive.
Can I still adopt if I have debt?
We understand that financial difficulties can be a worry for many, and how stressful these situations can be. We like to make sure that all prospective adopters are financially solvent and have good money management skills. This is so that the needs of a child can be met without putting too much pressure on your weekly or monthly budget. If you’re concerned about something that might affect your application, speak to a member of our team on 0800 5877 791.
Will my mental health be a barrier to adoption?
No, your mental health won’t stop you from adopting a child. We would discuss this with you in more detail and consider how the emotional impact of adopting a child may affect your mental health. If you use or have used therapies, medication, or counselling, this could strengthen your ability to manage any future mental health issues. Throughout the adoption assessment process, we obtain references for any mental health services that you’ve used since the age of 18.
Can I still adopt if I’m single?
Your status as a single applicant won’t be a barrier to adoption. In fact, some children may even be better suited to a single parent household. We encourage a wide range of applications from prospective adopters, including single parent adopters.
What myths are there surrounding adoption?
It’s worth noting that there are a couple of misconceptions and myths around things that won’t disqualify you from adopting. These include:
- You don’t have to be married – this won’t be a factor that prevents you from adopting with Adopters for Adoption. Your marital status isn’t what’s important, it’s whether you’re able to nurture and love a child that matters. If you’re a single parent, married, or live in a long-term relationship, you can adopt.
- You’re an LGBTQ+ family – we’re passionate about equality and diversity, and you will never be discriminated against in the adoption process because of your sexual orientation. Many of our adopters are same sex couples.
- Disability – you can adopt if you have a disability, and this won’t automatically rule you out of the adoption process. As long as you can meet the needs of the child through to adulthood, you can still adopt. You will also have a medical assessment during stage one of the adoption process to assess your suitability to adopt.
- Previous convictions – while certain convictions will stop an individual from adopting, this won’t be the case for everyone. We understand that everyone has a past, and that doesn’t necessarily reflect who you are today. However, as we’ve covered above, if anyone in the home has a criminal conviction or caution for offences against children or serious sexual offences, this could pose a barrier to adoption. Worried about something that might affect your application? Speak to our team on 0800 5877 791 so they can advise you about this in more detail.
- Income – you don’t have to be wealthy to adopt a child, and you can still adopt if you are unemployed or are currently claiming benefits. We’ll discuss your financial situation throughout the assessment process and explore how you’ll manage the responsibility of caring for a child.
- You have existing children – adopting a child is still possible if you already have children of your own, whether they’re biological, stepchildren, or adopted. The only thing to bear in mind is that there would need to be a two-year age gap between your youngest child and the adopted child, with the adopted child being the younger sibling.
- You don’t own your own home – you can still adopt, even if you don’t own your home and live in rented accommodation. You’ll need to evidence written permission from your landlord, housing association, or local authority to adopt a child. Your home also doesn’t need to be a certain size to adopt – you’d just need a spare room for your adopted child.
- You smoke or vape – it’s possible to adopt if you smoke, however, it’s worth bearing in mind that you wouldn’t be able to adopt a child under the age of five or a child who has complex needs. If you vape or have given up smoking for at least six months you can still apply to adopt a child in the lower age range. However, you wouldn’t be able to vape in front of the child if they’re under the age of five.
- You have pets in the home – although dangerous dogs are a barrier to adoption, other breeds or pets won’t stop you from adopting. We recognise that pets can have a benefit on children in the home, and we would need to carry out a pet assessment in order to ensure there won’t be any health, compatibility, or safety issues.
The adoption process at a glance
Before you can welcome a child into your family, you’ll first need to complete the adoption process. There are two stages to the adoption process in England, which can take around six months to complete. The first stage is to gather information about you and to carry out any relevant checks.
If you’re successful in completing stage one of the process, you’ll be invited to start the second stage, which can take around four months to complete. Your dedicated social worker will gather lots of information about you in this time which will be compiled into a report called the Prospective Adopters Report (PAR). There’ll also be training for you and your family to complete, and a number of other checks will be carried out.
All of these checks and references are an essential part of the adoption process. As an agency that finds families for children, their welfare and safeguarding is at the heart of what we do.
Types of adoption
There are different types of adoption for you to choose from depending on how you’d like to proceed on your adoption journey. These include:
- Traditional adoption – the adoption of a child living in the UK, typically with a foster family under the care of the local authority.
- Early permanence – children are placed in a loving, stable home at the earliest opportunity with the view of being adopted in the future.
Are you curious about adoption?
If you have any concerns about whether there’s anything in your past that could disqualify you from adopting, our advisors are here to help.
If you want to know more about adoption or how to get started on your journey, get in touch with Adopters for Adoption today. Simply fill out an enquiry form on our website or give us a call on 0800 5877 791 to speak to one of our friendly advisors, who can answer any questions you may have.
Whatever stage of your adoption journey you’re at, Adopters for Adoption will be here to support you at each step – even after the adoption has completed.
