1

Am I too young or old to adopt ?

If you are over 21 you can legally adopt

Although there is not a legal upper age limit, being an adoptive parent is demanding and you need to be able to demonstrate the energy, emotional and physical health to care for a child throughout childhood and beyond. Age differences between children and parents are taken into account.

2

Can I adopt from Overseas?

Yes, PACT has contracts with a number of local authorities to provide an Intercountry Adoption service on their behalf. Please see the Intercountry Adoption section of our website for an up to date list of all the local authorities we cover. A free handbook to Intercountry Adoption with PACT is available.

3

Will I be able to adopt a baby?

As a voluntary agency, PACT is seeking adopters able to care for children aged over 5 years, or sibling groups where one of the children might be under 5.  If your ethnicity is dual heritage or non White-British you may be able to adopt a much younger child under 18 months.

4

Do I have to be a British Citizen?

No but you do need to have your permanent home in the UK and, if you are not a British national, you must have official permission to remain in the UK indefinitely.

5

Is adoption only for people without children ?

No. Some children have a variety of needs that may be more suited to a family where the parents have already experienced parenthood whilst some may benefit from being the only child in the family.

If you do have children, the age difference between an adopted child and any children already in the family should normally be at least 3 years to allow each child to have their needs fully met.

If you don’t have much experience with children outside your extended family, it will be important to gain some so that you can learn how to talk to children and feel relaxed and more knowledgable about how to look after them.  You may want to contact your local school and children’s group and ask to work as a volunteer.

Many childless couples take part in Parenting Workshops before they move to adoption.  Most local authorities and some voluntary groups provide these.

6

Do I have to be married ?

No. – It doesn’t matter whether you are single, married or in a partnership

However we do ask that any couples have been together for at least three years and are able to evidence that they have a stable and enduring relationship that is likely to last through a child’s upbringing and beyond.  

7

Can I continue with any fertility treatments whilst I apply to adopt ?

If you have been undergoing treatment to conceive, we will usually ask that at least 6 months have elapsed since the treatment has finished. This period allows for the grieving process to have begun to be addressed and adoption seen as a positive alternative to parenting. However, it is recognized that some families are ready to make the transition more speedily than others and the initial interview will consider this issue.

8

Can I adopt if I smoke ?

PACT is aware of the medical evidence regarding the impact of passive smoking on children and is looking to place children in a smoke free home.   Given the highly addictive nature of smoking applicants would be expected to have given up at least a year before they apply to adopt.  Individuals are seen as non smokers once they have given up for 10 years.

9

Do I have to be medically fit to adopt a child ?

You do need to be medically fit to care for a child throughout childhood and have a good chance of being there for them into their adulthood.

If you have a medical condition or disability that is not life threatening, is well controlled by medication and does not affect normal daily life, we will consider you.

10

Do I need to stop working?

No, but we will ask that the main carer take full adoption leave of a year off work once the child is placed (this may need to be longer depending on the needs of the child.)

REMEMBER: there is no such thing as a typical adopter: we are all different and so are the children who are waiting to be adopted.