The Adoption Process
Find out about the adoption process and who can adopt
Adoption Assessment
Adoption provides a lifelong family for young people who can't be brought up by their birth family.
Adoption is a legal process. Parental rights and responsibilities will transfer to the child's adoptive family.
Who can adopt?
The childrten waiting for adoption come from a variety of backgrounds, so we're looking for a diverse range of adoptive families.
Adoption criteria
- over 21 years old
- healthy enough to care for a child into adulthood
- there's no upper age limit but your age will affect the age of the child you adopt
- single, married or living together
- be in a different or same sex relationship
- your family unit can be currently no children within the home, birth children residing at home, previously adopted and children still at home or living independently
- you don't need to own your own home
- you'll need a spare room 
- you can be ·working or not working
- have no convictions against children
You also need to have time, compassion and patience, along with a sense of humour and lots of love. The assessment process is an in depth, reflective and competency based assessment of prospective adopters. It requires applicants who are motivated to learn more about the needs of children throughout their lifetime and for them to reflect on how they will be able to meet those needs.
How we process an application?
| Make enquiry and register interest to adopt through online enquiry form |
| A team member will call the enquirer and complete an initial enquiry form |
| The team member will arrange a visit to carry out an initial interview, a more in depth discussion around motivation and needs of children along with seeing the property and spare bedroom. |
| The enquirer will then be invited to attend preparation groups which are carried out over 3 full days, or equivalent, covering child development, attachment theory, therapeutic approaches to parenting and much more. |
| The enquiry is reviewed if the enquirer wishes to proceed, then invited to complete an application form. |
| Application form received and allocated social worker for assessment |
| Assessment undertaken by social worker and timescale of taking assessment to the Fostering and Adoption panel within 6 months |
| Assessment presented to Fostering and Adoption panel with recommendation |
| Fostering and Adoption panel make recommendation to agency decision maker |
| Agency decision maker makes decision regarding approval of applicant |
More information
If you'd like any more information on assessment or would like to speak to one of our team, please email fost@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk
