““To take into one’s family To take into one’s family through legal means and through legal means and raise as one’s own child”raise as one’s own child”

(dictionary definition)(dictionary definition)

THINKING ABOUT ADOPTION – THINKING ABOUT ADOPTION – WHO TO CONTACTWHO TO CONTACT

There are 5 STATUTORY Adoption Agencies in Northern Ireland (each Health and Social Care Trust)

AND

There are 2 VOLUNTARY Adoption Agencies in Northern Ireland – Family Care Society and Adoption Routes

ADOPTION AGENCIESADOPTION AGENCIES

Family Care Society – 2 offices (Belfast and Derry / Londonderry

Adoption Routes – 1 office in Heron Road, Belfast

PATHWAYS TO ADOPTIONPATHWAYS TO ADOPTION

DOMESTIC adoption (children from Northern Ireland or UK) – either through your local Trust or either of the Voluntary Adoption Agencies

OR

INTER-COUNTRY adoption (children from overseas) – only through your local Trust (Regional Team currently being established)

PATHWAYS TO ADOPTIONPATHWAYS TO ADOPTION

CONCURRENT CARING (fostering a very young child, with a view to adoption, if that becomes the agreed plan)

Through Unite Concurrent Planning Service or your local Trust

UNITEConcurrent Planning Service

WHY DOMESTIC ADOPTION?WHY DOMESTIC ADOPTION? It is estimated that up to 200 children in care in Northern

Ireland need permanent adoptive families (up to 5000 children across the UK)

Domestic adoption ensures that a child is raised within his or her own culture, language and religion

Adopters are provided with as much information as is known regarding the child’s past, their birth parents, siblings, family history and health

There are no charges or fees in domestic adoption

Children are more likely to be able to retain some contact with their birth family

WHO ARE THE CHILDREN?WHO ARE THE CHILDREN? All will be in the care of one of the Health and Social

Care Trusts / Local Authority

These children are not usually “given up” for adoption – the Court has decided they cannot live with parents

Concerns often include parental neglect, abuse, alcohol / drug addiction, poor mental health, domestic violence or learning disability.

The children may have experienced several changes in foster placement in their short lives

They will have been impacted in different ways and to varying degrees by their early experiences

TRUE OR FALSE?TRUE OR FALSE? You can’t adopt if you’re over 40

FALSE You can’t adopt if you’re single

FALSE You can’t apply to adopt while you are still

having fertility treatment

TRUE You can only adopt one child

FALSE

You have to be rich to adopt

FALSE

TRUE OR FALSE?TRUE OR FALSE? Same-sex couples cannot apply to adopt in Northern

Ireland

FALSE Only married couples can adopt a child

FALSE

You must own your own home in order to adopt

FALSE

Applicants with unhealthy lifestyles (including smoking and obesity) may not be considered to be suitable adopters

TRUE

TRUE OR FALSE?TRUE OR FALSE? You can never apply to adopt if you have a criminal

record

FALSE Many unplanned pregnancies result in new-born babies

being given up for adoption in NI

FALSE

Some babies are placed with their adoptive parents at birth

TRUE

Children over 5 are too old to be adopted

FALSE

TRUE OR FALSE?TRUE OR FALSE?

When a child is adopted their surname changes

TRUE

When a child is adopted you should change their first name to a name you really like

FALSE

It’s best for a child if you don’t tell them they were adopted and pretend they are your flesh and blood

FALSE

TRUE OR FALSE?TRUE OR FALSE?Once a child is adopted they will have no further contact with their birth family

FALSE

You will have to get permission from the Social Worker about all major decisions involving your adopted child

FALSE

Post-adoption support is available for you whenever you you need it, throughout your adopted child’s childhood

TRUE

TRUE OR FALSE?TRUE OR FALSE?

If you give it a few months and things aren’t working out, you can change your mind

FALSE

Adoption is a life-long commitment to a child – the child becomes a part of your life and your family’s life, for the

rest of your life

PARENTING AN ADOPTED CHILDPARENTING AN ADOPTED CHILD

TIME

PATIENCE

UNDER-STANDING

FLEXIBILITY

COMMITMENT

HUMOUR

MANAGE STRESS

SUPPORTNETWORK

STABILITY

ENERGY

SELFLESS

LOVE

ADOPTION PROCESSADOPTION PROCESS

For more information or informal chat, please contact Tracy Mather at:

Family Care Adoption Services:

511 Ormeau Road

Belfast BT7 3GS

Phone: 90691133

tracy.mather@familycaresociety.org