Who can adopt?

Adopters come from all walks of life. You need to be over 21 years old and to be able to look after a child until they become an adult and ideally be there to support them beyond this point.

Your relationship status

Single, married, co‑habiting, in a civil partnership, heterosexual or LGBTQ+ — all applications are welcome and treated equally.

Your home

You can adopt whether you rent or own your home. What matters is that you have stable living arrangements and enough space for a child.

Employment

You don’t need to be in work to adopt. If you are employed, you’ll need to take adoption leave once the child is placed. What’s most important is that you have the time, energy and commitment to care for a child.

Your family

Whether you have no children, children at home, or adult children who’ve moved out, you can still apply. If you have a very young child, we can offer guidance on when to start the process.