What is the difference between adopting through an independent adoption agency and a local authority?
The assessment processes undertaken by a independent adoption agency and by a local authority are governed by the same laws and guidelines and will contain the same elements. The experience of going through the assessment process will vary depending on the culture and values of the adoption agency you go through. At Jigsaw, a number of team members have been through the process themselves as we understand that it is a very demanding experience for adopters. We are therefore committed to supporting you through the process and always treating you with respect.
When you are approved and reach the matching stage, the main difference is that a local authority tend to prefer to match you with a child looked after by itself. As an independent adoption agency, we are not tied to any local authority and can look for suitable children all over England and Wales.
What does it cost to adopt?
Jigsaw Adoption does not charge any fees to adopters and nor will the local authorities. So the costs for the adoption process will be limited to out of pocket expenses such as travel costs, the cost of a DBS check and the fee your GP will charge for a medical examination.
I ultimately want 2 or or 3 children. Should I adopt 1, 2 or 3 children now?
It is possible to adopt more than one child and if you have more than one spare bedroom, you can normally adopt 2 or 3 children at the same time. This is a great outcome for the children waiting as there are many sibling groups waiting and the children who have already lost their birth parents can at least stay with their brothers and sisters.
If you adopt only one child, you may find it impossible to adopt a second child in the future. Local authorities have tightened criteria for placing children with families who have children and it is unlikely that you will be able to adopt a second child until the first child reaches 12 - 14 years of age. Also bear in mind that many local authorities are very reluctant to place children with mothers who are more than 40 years older than the child. Therefore, if you are aged 38 - 45 now, adopting one child may preclude you from adopting a second child in the future as you may be considered too old to have a child placed with you.
Therefore, if you want a family with 2 - 3 children, we would strongly advice you to consider adopting a sibling group as adopting twice may not be possible for you.
How long does the process take?
You can read about the process here. According to government guidelines, Stage 1 should be completed in 2 months and Stage 2 in 4 months so a total of 6 months. According to government data, local authorities meet the target of approval within 6 months is in 30% of the cases.
We will do our best to be faster than the 6 months where possible. During Stage 1, you can help too by providing information about yourself as quickly as possible. However, some elements of the process include third parties, for example DBS checks and those can sometimes take a long time.
I rent my home. Am I able to adopt?
Yes, as long as you are able to provide space for a child in your home.
I am having fertility treatment. Can I adopt?
Legally you can. However, we would ask you to wait until you know the outcome of your fertility treatment before applying. The reason for this is that both fertility treatment and an adoption process are demanding to go through for you. Furthermore, our resources are limited and if you become pregnant during the adoption process, we will not be able to match you with children for adoption and both you and Jigsaw will have put a lot of time and effort into a process that did not lead anywhere.
Can I adopt if I work full time?
Yes. Adoption leave is similar to maternity/paternity leave. Normally, you will be expected to take a 12-month break from work to settle your children in. It is worth bearing in mind that some children find it hard to be separated from their new parents if they have had a difficult start in life which is why staying at home in the beginning is important.
Do I need to be on a high salary to adopt?
No, you don't need to be on a high income to adopt but you need to be able to care for a child. During the process, we will review your financial situation to make sure that you can support a child.
Can I adopt if I have pets?
Yes you can have pets. We may arrange a vet assessment for some pets. Also, many children have allergies which which prevent them from being matched to a family with a pet, often cats.
Can same sex couples adopt?
Yes. Single people, couples in same sex relationships, married and unmarried couples, and couples in civil partnerships can all adopt.
What suport will you give me once I have adopted?
Please refer to the support section on our website.
Can I adopt children from abroad?
Yes you can. However, at Jigsaw Adoption, we are focused on UK adoptions so we are not able to help you adopt children from abroad.
What contact will have I have with the birth parents after the adoption?
Local authorities sometimes expect adoptive families to maintain contact with the birth parents or siblings. Contact varies but it is likely to include indirect, annual letterbox contact with some members of the birth family. We will discuss this further with you during the process.
If brothers and sisters are placed separately for adoption, their adopters sometimes want to keep the link alive by meeting up occasionally.
What rights to the birth parents have after the adoption?
When the adoption order is issued by the court, the child's legal relationship with the birth parents ends and the child gets new legal parents. The effect of this is that the adopted child become a member of the adoptive family just as if it had been a birth child of the adopters. After the adoption order, the birth parents have no parental responsibility for the child.
Can I adopt if I am disabled?
Yes. We will consider your ability to parent and discuss with you any challenges to parenting that your disability would cause.
Can I adopt if I have a criminal conviction?
It depends. Most criminal convictions do not legally prevent you from adopting. If you have a criminal conviction, we would like to discuss it with you and understand it properly before starting the process. You can find out which offences legally prohibit you from adopting in the Adoption Agencies Regulations - Item 25
How quickly will I be matched with a child when I am approved as an adopter?
Once you are approved, we will work with a number of local authorities to try to find children that are suitable for you. How long this takes depends on what children you are looking to adopt and how responsive the local authorities that we contact are. In our experience, the time from approval until children moving in is around 180 days.
