About Adoption

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There are currently 2,410 children waiting for adoption right now. This is an increase of 13% compared to stats released from 2022/23. Some wait longer than others. We want to help change that. Could you?

Adoption Matters aim is to find families for children of all ages who, for a variety of reasons, are no longer able to live with their birth families or extended family. Working in partnership with Regional Adoption Agencies (RAAs) across the whole of the UK, we have placed thousands of children with their forever family. Many children wait longer for a family if they are over 4 years old, part of a sibling group, have additional needs or are from a Black, Asian and other ethnic background.

About the Adoption Process
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The Process

We have detailed below our adoption process which is covered in two stages. The adoption journey starts when you first consider adoption and if it is right for you and your family.

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Enquiry
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Online event, one to one video call, visit to you at home
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Registration of Interest (Stage 1)
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Information sharing discussion (Stage 1)
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Checks/references(Stage 1)
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Preparation Training (Stage 1)
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Middle Line
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Formal Application (Stage 2)
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Stage 2
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Panel
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Approval
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Family Finding
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Linking and Matching
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Placement
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Support
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Types of Adoption
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Types of Adoption

There are different routes to adoption including early permanence, fostering to adopt and concurrent planning.

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Domestic or ‘Traditional’ Adoption

Children will usually be placed with foster carers before moving on to adoption and their care plan for adoption will have been decided by professionals working with them and the courts.

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Early permanence

This route to adoption seeks to reduce the number of moves a child experiences, so they are able to achieve permanence at the earliest possible point.

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Adopting with Concurrent Planning

This service is for babies and young children who are enter care and are likely to need adoption, but who also still have a chance of being reunited with their birth family.

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Adopter Stories

Our adopters below have shared their real stories about their own personal adoption journey.

Laura and Sandra’s Early Permanence Story

Laura and Sandra’s Early Permanence Story

Laura and Sandra Davies are thankful every day for the family life they have created. The couple, from Whit...

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Claire

For as long as Claire can remember, she has always wanted to be a mum.  She resolved that if she had not me...

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Michael and Les

Michael and Les

Les and I both met while working overseas as holiday reps over 17 years ago, after 3 years travelling we de...

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Helen & Simone

Simone and I had been together about 3 years when we started our adoption journey. We had both always known...

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The bright eyed boy who would become my precious, beautiful son.

The bright eyed boy who would become my precious, beautiful son.

It is my eighteenth anniversary of being a mummy. This time in 1999 I was desperately waiting for my first ...

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Adam & Jess

Adam & Jess

An adoption journey through the Concurrent Planning Service Adam and I first started looking into adoption ...

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Meet some of the 2,580 children waiting to be adopted

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Introducing Marcus

Introducing Marcus

We are looking for an individual, couple or family to provide Marcus a stable and loving home through adopt...

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Inter-country Adoption

Inter-Country or International adoption is a type of adoption in which an individual or couple becomes the legal and permanent parent of a child who is a national of a different country.

Adoption Matters do not offer Inter-Country Adoption assessments. If you are interested in Inter-Country Adoption, please contact our colleagues at the Intercountry Adoption Centre on their Advice Line on 0208 447 4753

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Adoption Centre

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Open every weekday from 10am to 1pm with call backs made by advisors up until 4pm.

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Inter-country adoption