Adoption Law
CompactLaw provides free legal information regarding the adoption process, including the different methods of adoption, the role of adoption agencies and the different types of adoption orders that can be made by a court.
We also provide details of who can actually adopt and the process, this changed under the Adoption & Children Act 2002. Under the Act single people (regardless of sexual orientation) can adopt, also unmarried couples and same-sex couples can also apply to adopt a child. The aim of the Act is to encourage more adoptions, whilst keeping the interests of the child to be adopted paramount.
We also provide information on inter-country adoptions and the process of adopting a child or children from overseas. This has become more popular as potential adopters have found the process of adopting a child born in the UK more difficult.
However, the government has made it a clear policy to reform the adoption process to encourage more adoption of UK children and reduce the number of children in care and the amount of time they wait to be adopted.
The Adoption & Children Act 2002
Notification to Local Authority
Removal of a Child to be Adopted