Adoption

Who needs Adopting?

There are now fewer and fewer babies who need adoption.  Currently the local and national need is for adopters to take older children, for sibling groups of 2, 3 or more, for children with special needs and those from ethnic minority groups.  Adopters who can offer homes to these children will have priority.    

Who Can Adopt?

Currently the criteria we use as a guideline for people seeking to adopt, include:

• You must be over 21
• You can be married, in a partnership, or single
• If you are married or living together you will be expected to demonstrate a stable relationship.
• You can have children of your own and still adopt
• If you have no children, you will need to have completed infertility treatment
• You will need to be in good enough health to reasonably expect to be able to care for a child who is placed with you for the rest of his or her childhood and hopefully beyond
• If you are a smoker, this will limit the type of child who we can place with you, since we aim to place young children or who have respiratory problems in a smoke free environment

Find out How to become an Adopter.

Adoption Support

The value of adoption support has been recognised more in recent years as being crucial to the success of adoptive placements.  We will support all adoptive placements through our own services and those of the Berkshire Adoption Advisory Service.

The local authority also has a responsibility to the birth family of a child placed for adoption - support and counselling is offerred to them by the Berkshire Adoption Advisory Service. 

Adopted Adults

Adults who were adopted can contact us for help in tracing records and counselling throughout the process.

For further information on all aspects of adoption visit the British Association for Adoption and Fostering Website

Other Links

• Children and Family Care
• Fostering, Adooption and Looked After Children

If you think you might benefit from any service provided by Social Services and you would like us to contact you by phone or email, please click the following link and complete the Learning & Care Contact Us/Self Referral Online Form and someone will be in touch with you as soon as possible.

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