Life Events: Adoption - Becoming an Adopter

Becoming an Adopter

People wishing to adopt need, by law, to be at least 21 years of age. However, we prefer to consider applicants over 25 years old, we believe that maturity and life experience are essential to cope with the demands of parenting by adoption. Adoption can add an extra dimension to parenting and can be a highly challenging yet rewarding experience.

Each adoption applicant receives a 2-day preparation course during their assessment period to provide them with the knowledge and information that is essential in gaining a realistic picture of what's involved in becoming an adoptive parent.

Becoming an adoptive parent requires:

• Flexibility.

• Patience.

• Understanding of the child's background and history and possible future needs with regards to birth family.

• Sensitivity to the child's needs.

• Commitment and dedication to the welfare of the child or children you adopt.

Making the decision to become an adoptive parent is one that will have taken most people a long time to reach. We are aware that when the final decision to go ahead is made that the majority of applicants are keen to progress as quickly as possible. Wrexham County Borough Council will ensure that from the time you return your application form to being approved as an adopter, should not take any longer than eight months. The following journey highlights the steps to be taken from enquiry to approval.

Your Journey

• Once you make your initial enquiry an information pack will be sent to you and a first visit will be arranged.

• You will then receive a visit by a Supervising Social Worker who will have initial discussions with you about adoption. They will give you details of the process including the assessment and answer any questions or concerns that you might have.

• We will ask you to fill in and complete an application form about yourself and all other members of your household. This form will also have a 'consent attachment' which you sign to give us permission to carry out NSPCC, Probation and other checks. Each individual in your household over the age of 16 will be asked to complete a CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) form.

• The Council will carry out these checks to make sure that you've not committed any offences against children that could automatically disqualify you from adopting. We'll ask for proof of your identity (like a passport, birth and marriage certificate) and ask you to have a health check with your GP.

• You will be invited to attend pre-approval training. This is a 2-day course designed to provide you with the necessary information and knowledge about what's involved with adoption. You will have the opportunity to meet and talk to adopters who have gone through the same process and can ask them any questions you like.

• We will take up your personal and employers references.

• Your Supervising Social Worker will arrange a number of appointments to meet with you in order to complete your adoption assessment. You and your assessing Social Worker will discuss a range of subjects during these meetings including the ages, number and characteristics of the child/children you would like to adopt.

• The information gathered from you by the assessing Social Worker is compiled into a report. This report will describe the qualities and skills you have to offer to a child as an adoptive parent. You will have an opportunity to read your report and discuss the contents with your social worker.

• You will then be invited to the Panel. The Panel recommends whether or not to approve you as an adopter and indicates the number, age and gender of children you can adopt. If you're not approved, your Supervising Social Worker will discuss the reasons with you and the agency will write to you. You can appeal against the decision.

• The panel's recommendation then goes forward to the agency decision maker - in Wrexham this is the Chief Social Services Officer - who makes the final decision.