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Thinking about adopting?

Adoption is all about making a positive difference to a child's life and providing a stable, loving and permanent home for a child who, for whatever reason, is not able to live with their birth family. Making the decision to adopt is one of the biggest steps anyone can make, but also one of the most rewarding. In order to decide whether adoption is the right thing for you we think it is important that you find out as much as you can.

Interested in finding out more? 

There are lots of ways to get in touch...either email us at adoption@gloucestershire.gov.uk, complete the online enquiry form or call one of our adoption team workers on 01452 427753 to discuss things in more detail.

Who can adopt?

There is no such thing as a typical adopter - we're are keen to hear from people who have the commitment, energy, patience and understanding to meet a child's needs and help them realise their full potential. In order to meet the diverse needs of the children available for adoption in Gloucestershire we are actively looking for a wide variety of applicants including:

  • Married couples or couples living together in a stable relationship for at last two years
  • Same sex couples living together in a stable relationship for at least two years
  • Single people
  • People from diverse ethnic and religious groups

We do not discriminate on the grounds of class, culture, disability, race or sexual orientation. All that we ask is that you can:

  • Offer commitment to a child
  • Offer a stable, secure, safe and loving home into adulthood
  • Be open to your child about adoption
  • Allow your child to discover their own identity, culture and origins
  • Offer patience, flexibility and a willingness to work with others to identify and meet a child's needs.

Find out more about adoption

If you are interested in finding out more about becoming an adoptive parent please complete the on-line enquiry next steps form below. One of our adoption team will then contact you and provide further information about the process. We will also send you an information pack which provides further details about adoption and how people can become adoptive parents. (Please note we may conclude following your online enquiry that we would not be able to proceed further with your interest in adopting with us - if this is the case we will try to contact  you and explain the reasons why  as soon as possible). 

What happens after you accept my adoption initial enquiry form?


Step 1 - Information evening

You will be invited to attend an information evening within two months.  Experienced adopters and adoption workers will be present at the meeting to share their experiences with you and answer any questions you may have.

Step 2 - Home interview

If you wish to gain further information following the information evening an adoption worker will visit you at home to discuss adoption and what you feel you could offer a child. We will write a summary of our meeting with you and send you a copy of this.

Step 3 - Formal application

Following the home visit, if we conclude that your circumstances, experience and understanding of adoption could enable a child to be adopted by you we will invite you to make a formal application to become an approved adopter. The  application form will be sent to you to fill in. You will also need to give permission for us to take up statutory checks (CRB (police), NSPCC, children's services, education, probation and medical examination) and personal references. In addition, you will need to identify several personal references which we will need to obtain to gain a fuller understanding of your background and skills.

Step 4 - Preparation course

Following successful acceptance of your application we will invite you to a preparation course. Courses are usually held every two months, one day each week over a four week period and applicants are required to attend every session and to participate fully throughout.  Within a challenging and interactive process we cover a wide range of topics, including child development, how our own experiences and relationships influence our parenting, contact with birth families, telling your child about adoption and understanding and managing behaviour. The course is run by adoption team staff, assisted by adoptive parents, birth family members and adopted adults and is a great opportunity to hear differing experiences of adoption. During this process we may come to the decision or you may decide that adoption is not right for you although we will encourage regular opportunities to discuss any issues that arise.  

Step 5 - Assessment

The assessment process consists of a number of home visits by an adoption social worker over several months to assess whether adoption is right for you and what kind of children you would be best matched to. This is a demanding process that requires applicants to personally question and consider their own development and beliefs and how they could meet the needs of an adopted child. At the end of the assessment your social worker produces a report, which includes the opportunity for you to add your own contributions which will go alongside the results of your medical and statutory checks.

Step 6 - Adoption Panel

Your full application report is presented to the independent Gloucestershire Adoption Panel, comprising social workers and other professionals, County Councillors, medical and legal advisors and independent people, who may have personal experience of adoption , for recommendation for approval.   You are invited to attend this meeting. Your social worker will support you throughout this process and explain to you if a panel recommendation is not made.

Step 7 - Placement

We try to place children with prospective adoptive families  as soon as possible within the agreed statutory timescales and national minimum standards for adoption, but there are no set rules as to how long you may have to wait for a child. However, we will keep you updated on a monthly basis during the waiting process.

If you decide to proceed the Agency Decision Maker for the Adoption Panel will be asked to recommend the match. Following the confirmed recommendation planning will take place to enable an initial meeting with the child. After a gradual period of introduction the child will come to live with you.

Step 8 - The Adoption Order

Legally the Adoption Order can only be applied for once the child has been living with you for at least 10 weeks. As soon as this order is made all legal rights and responsibilities are transferred to you. Prior to this social workers will work closely with you to provide advice and ascertain how your future needs as a new family will be identified and supported as necessary.