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Inter Country Adoption

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

This procedure applies to the assessment and approval of applicants resident in the UK who wish to adopt a child who is resident abroad; it also covers the procedures to be followed by the Adoption Service in relation to the placement of a child resident abroad with approved adopters.

For procedures in relation to the placement of a child resident in the UK with adopters resident overseas, see Placement for Adoption Procedure.

RELEVANT GUIDANCE

Adoption Support Fund

RELEVANT CHAPTER

Recruitment, Assessment and Approvals of Prospective Adopters Procedure

AMENDMENT

In January 2020, minor amendments were made in line with local practice.

1. Introduction

Applications for overseas adoption will be sign posted to their respective local authority. Inter-country adoption is a different process from domestic adoption with its own set of practices and requirements. Some of the procedures are similar to domestic adoption, such as the home study, but adopters also have to comply with the laws in their child's country of origin.

Applications will be accepted from couples or single people.

Applicants will be expected to identify one country from which they wish to adopt and should have a good understanding of that country's culture and be able to demonstrate that understanding. Applicants will be expected to bring any adopted child up in the knowledge that he/she is adopted and to preserve and promote the child's cultural and ethnic origin.

There is a charge for the assessment process for applicants.

2. Responding to Requests for Information

All requests for information about inter country adoption made by telephone or letter will be directed to the local authority in which they reside. If a person contacting Together for Adoption is unsure about whether they wish to proceed with an adoption with a foreign element, an information pack about adoption will be sent to the enquirer to provide them with the information about the adoption process within the UK, whilst also sign posting them to their relevant local authority.