Is there a
waiting list?
No, CCS
Adoption does not have a waiting list for prospective adopters.
How much
will it cost?
Our service
is free but you will be required to have a medical examination with
your own GP who will charge you. This is currently in the region of
£70-£90 per person.
What is
adoption?
Adoption is a
legal process by which a child becomes a permanent member of a new
family. The birth parents’ rights and legal responsibilities are
transferred to the adoptive parents. The arrangements become
legally binding when a court makes an adoption order.
How long
does the process take?
At CCS
Adoption we aim to complete your adoption assessment and offer you
preparatory training within six months of receiving your completed
application form. Obviously, this can vary and can also depend on
the prospective adopters’ availability and personal circumstances.
Am I too
old/too young to adopt?
The legal
minimum age for adoption is 21. There is no upper limit set by
law. Each case is decided on its own merits. We look for healthy
adopters who have lots of energy and love to give to a child.
Who can
become an adopter?
CCS Adoption
has a flexible approach to what makes a good adoptive family. We
are interested in hearing from people who have their own children as
well as those without children. Single people, married couples and
those living in unmarried partnerships, people of all racial
backgrounds, and people of all or no religious faith are welcome.
The children
we place have already suffered a lot of changes, uncertainty and
unhappiness in their lives. The most important thing is that
families can offer love, commitment, flexibility and security.
Who are
the children waiting to be adopted?
It is
estimated that there are currently 4,000 children in the care of
Local Authorities in England and Wales who are waiting for adoptive
families. There are very few white babies and Local Authorities
rarely approach voluntary adoption agencies like CCS Adoption for
such children. Many of the children waiting to be adopted have
experienced abuse, including sexual abuse, and neglect. Families
are needed for brother and sister sibling groups of all ages and
ethnicities. Families are needed for white and black babies and
children with special needs and black adopters (Asian,
African-Caribbean, African and people of mixed parentage) are needed
for black children of all ages.
I already
have a birth child but am thinking about adopting. What age
does my birth child have to be before I would be considered for
adoption?
The children
we place for adoption tend to be aged 3 or older and some have
complex needs, so a birth child would probably need to be aged 6 or
7 years.
Do adopted
children have contact with their birth parents?
Adopted
children need help to understand why they cannot live with their
birth family and should have open and honest information about their
past. When a child is placed for adoption, a careful assessment is
made of planned future contact with birth parents and birth family.
A child may have direct contact with their brothers and sisters and
in most cases an annual exchange of letters and cards will take
place via a neutral address. If it is felt to be beneficial to the
child there is sometimes direct contact with birth parents but this
is rare and as an adopter your feelings about the level of future
contact will be taken into consideration.
Can I
adopt a child from abroad through CCS Adoption?
We do not
provide a service to inter-country adopters.
If you are interested in adopting a child from
overseas, please contact your Local Authority or PACT (Parents and
Children Together).
For more information on adoption, please see our
Info about Adoption and
Info about CCS pages.
If your question is not answered, please
e-mail us.
If you would like to be informed by e-mail when
this page is updated, please
e-mail us.
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