Adoptive parents provide a child with a new home and family for life. Once an adoption order is granted, full parental rights and responsibilities are transferred to the adoptive parents. Adopted children have the same legal status and inheritance rights as birth children. We need adoptive parents for single children and to keep brothers and sisters together.
Who can adopt?
- You must be 21 or over
- You can be single, have a partner, be in a civil partnership or married
- If you are seeking a child aged 0-2 years you must not be over 45 years
- The age of adopters for children 2+ must be of reasonable age to have parented a child of that age
- You must be in reasonable health and a health assessment will be undertaken
- Potential adopters should have stopped smoking by the time they attend our preparation to adopt groups
- You must have a spare room for the child
- You don’t have to be employed
The children
Children can be relinquished at birth or more commonly, care proceedings have decided that the child’s needs will be best met through adoption. Most children will have experienced abuse or neglect before or after birth and there may be developmental uncertainty as a result. Adopters need to be adaptable and flexible to the changing needs of their child and provide a safe, stable and nurturing family environment. Adopters also need to be able to be open and honest with children about their family of origin to help them understand their history.
Support from the Corporate Parenting Team
Adoptive parents will be allocated a supervising social worker who will undertake their assessment and provide support, advice and guidance until the adoption process is complete. Post adoption support is available until an adopted child reaches 18 years of age. Financial support can be provided in particular circumstances.
Adoptees
If you are an adopted person, East Ayrshire Corporate Parenting team will provide counselling and may, if you wish, help with tracing your origins.
Inter-country adoption
It is possible to adopt children from outwith the UK, although the process for this is complex and can be prolonged. East Ayrshire Council will charge a fee for undertaking an adoption assessment for inter-country adoption.