Adoption - Frequently Asked Questions

Adoption

• I am working - Can I still adopt?
• I rent the house I live in - Can I still adopt?
• I am over 40 years old - Can I adopt?
• I have a disability - Can I adopt?
• I'm not married - Can I adopt?
• Can I adopt if I have a criminal conviction?

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I am working - Can I still adopt?

Yes you can. You don't have to be employed to adopt. You can also adopt if you work part-time or full-time. However, it is important that you can provide the time and the space necessary to meet the child's needs.

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I rent the house I live in - Can I still adopt?

Yes you can. You can adopt if you live in rented accommodation or own your own home. It is important that you have a spare room for the use of the child.

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I am over 40 years old - Can I adopt?

Yes you can. There is no upper age limit and the lower age limit is 21. However, it is recommended that there should not be more than 45 years between the age of the youngest child and the youngest adoptive parent.

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I have a disability - Can I adopt?

Yes you can. However, all adoption applicants are asked to have a medical as part of the assessment process. This is to ensure that you have the physical ability to care for a child. If you are disabled our Medical Advisor will make recommendations on your suitability to care for a child.

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I'm not married - Can I adopt?

Yes you can. Adopters may be single people or married couples. Unmarried couples at present cannot adopt together. However, we accept applications from those who are in 'long term' stable relationships, whereby only one of the couple would be named the adopter.

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Can I adopt if I have a criminal conviction?

Yes you can. However, it does depend on the type of offence that has been committed. If you have committed any offences against children or young people or have any violent convictions you will not be able to adopt a child. We recommend that you discuss any concerns you have with your assessing Social Worker at the earliest stage possible in your application.