The 50 steps to bring your baby home
One of the most confusing things about the whole adoption process is that you never know what comes next. You don't have an overall picture of how it all works, who you will be dealing with and what is expected of you.
Here, I outline the process in a simple step by step fashion so that you can get a general idea of the whole process.
There is one caveat however, and that is that it very difficult to outline the exact specifics, as each adoption case is unique. Each couple is different, each local authority or adoption agency works differently, each country operates differently and each region in the country, and in fact each orphanage works differently, just as each child is unique.
But here are the basic and essential steps that you will need to follow. Each of these stages are expanded on throughout the website. I have divided the process into three stages:
First phone call to Certificate - This all happens in the UK
Registering your papers to meeting and agreeing to adopt your child - This process is in the country of your adoption
From Match to final adoption - Part in country of your child's birth and partly back in the UK.
FIRST PHONE CALL TO CERTIFICATE
1. Contacting Fostering and Adoption Team at your Local Authority or Voluntary Adoption Agency
2. First meeting with Social Worker
3. 3-Day preparation course
4. Home Study 6-8 months
5. CRB Check
6. Medical assessment
7. Home Study report
8. Panel meeting
9. Papers go to Department of Education
10. Certificate of Eligibility issued
SUITABILITY TO AGREED MATCH
11. Additional documents collected
12. Papers Notarised
13. Documents legalised Foreign and Commonwealth Office
14. Papers go to your adoption representative/agency
15. Documents translated
16. Dossier legalised in county
17. Dossier submitted to Country's Adoption Authority either self or agency
18. Agency/facilitator searches for match
19. The Wait
20. The Call of notified of match
21. Prepare travel arrangements
22. Go to country of adoption
23. Meet authorities in country
24. Travel to referrals orphanage
25. Meet your potential child
26. Accept or reject child as yours
27. If reject search begins again until find your child
FROM MATCH TO ADOPTION
27. Travel home
28. Meet with social worker to discuss match
29. Adoption process in country begins
30. Notification of court date
31. Travel out to country
32. Meet child again
33. Attend court process
34. Parents!!
35. Pick up your child
36. Gather documents and passport for your child
37. Apply for UK entry visa for your child
38. Travel home with new family
39. Inform Department of Education of intention to adopt child
40. Social worker visits
41. Apply in UK courts for adoption
42. Guardian and solicitor appointed
43. Guardian home visit
44. Initial court hearing
45. Final adoption hearing - legally parents in UK
46. Issue of adoption certificate and new birth certificate
47. Issue of British nationality
48. Post placement reports
49. Whole adoption process complete
50. Autonomous individuals and private family life commences!
NB. This is an example of adoption through a non designated country. If the country of your child's birth has signed the Haugue Convention then the process finishes at No. 38 bar the post placement reports and your child automatically qualifies for British Nationality on Court case in country.
In some countries, you travel to the country to submit your documents and in others you can take a very active part in the search of your child.
This is a very broad outline and there are many, many minitue of details in each section and which you wil ascertain though this website.
