The adoption process

It’s important that you do your own research about the country you are seeking to adopt from, so you know if they allow overseas adoption and what their processes are. There are a number of resources available about what it’s like being an adoptive parent so you know what to expect.

Resources

Once you feel ready, get in touch with us by phone, email or our enquiry form. A social worker from our advice team will contact you to learn more about you.

Contact us

The advice team will help you explore whether you are eligible to be assessed as an adopter from your chosen country; this will include you attending an online Information Session and having an initial interview with a social worker. Information Sessions are led by the Coram IAC team together with experienced intercountry adopters. They are designed for people who have not yet formally applied to adopt. The sessions are open to anyone, whether you live in a partner Local Authority area or not.

If you don’t meet the criteria at this time, we will advise you on what steps you can take to be considered in the future. You may also need to seek your own legal advice on immigration issues at this point.

If you are eligible to be assessed, you will be asked to complete a Registration of Interest form to start your application. Once your application is accepted, you will move into our 2 stage assessment process, which follows the same statutory process set by the government that all UK adopters must go through.

This stage focuses on background checks and references. You will have an allocated admin caseworker and Senior Social Work Practitioner overseeing your case.

This includes authorities, such as the police, your local authority, your employer and your landlord. We will also seek references from people in your life who know you well and can comment on what you would be like as an adoptive parent. You will also be asked to complete a medical with your GP. There will also be some training available to you at this stage to prepare you for becoming a parent.

At the end of stage 1, a social worker will review all the information that’s been collected and will decide if you can move on to stage 2.

During this stage, your allocated social worker will visit you at home to carry out the assessment (this will be more than one visit). Their role is to prepare you to become an adoptive parent, by looking at your skills and strengths, your relationships, your life experiences and your network of support. They will prepare a Prospective Adopters Report, which will be presented to a Panel of independent people.

There will be more training available to you during stage 2.

After approval, our team will collate a bundle of your paperwork and send this to the UK Central Authority at the Department for Education. Every country has different document requirements, and some documents may need to be notarised. Our Post Approval Team will guide you as to what’s needed. Once everything has been completed, the DfE will print your Certificate of Eligibility and pass it with the paperwork to the Central Authority in your chosen country.

All adopters waiting for a match must have their application reviewed annually, as per UK regulations, which includes updating checks and references, and meeting with a social worker. It’s important that you keep us up to date with any changes in your circumstances. On your 5th Annual review, you will need to return to Panel to confirm that you are still suitable to adopt. During this time you will have support from our Post Approval team.

When the Central Authority in your chosen country offers you a match with a child, they will inform the DfE, who will notify us. You will be invited to travel to meet the child overseas. Once you have met the child you must notify Coram IAC in writing that you have done so and confirm whether you wish to progress the adoption overseas. Coram IAC will not directly liaise with the overseas agencies, but will give formal notifications to the DfE on your behalf.

Please note that different countries have different arrangements with regard to the legal transfer of responsibility for the child into your care, the duration of time you will need to spend in the country and the number of visits you will be required to make to the overseas country.

It is your responsibility to apply for the relevant Visa for your child in order to bring them to the UK. You will need to notify us of the date you return, and notify your Local Authority within 3 days of your return.

Coram IAC will undertake at least one home visit following the child’s return to the UK, and depending on the country of origin, some further post placement reports may be required. Depending on which country you have adopted from, you may also need to apply to the UK courts to have the adoption recognised.

Coram IAC offers lifelong post adoption support for you and your family. This might be in the form of workshops, coffee mornings, our family events or one to one consultations.

Our adoption support