Thank you for showing an interest in adoption.
This page will give you some basic information about Adoption and the Assessment process. The information will enable you to think about the implications, for yourself and your family, of adopting a child.
What Adoption Means
Adoption is a legal process, which allows someone other than the child’s birth mother and father to become their parent forever. Adoption can only be arranged by an Adoption Agency.
The final decision rests with the Court.
When a child is adopted, all parental responsibilities and rights are transferred from the birth parents to the adoptive parents. The child receives a new birth certificate with their name and the name of the adoptive parents. The original birth certificate is stored in New Register House, Edinburgh. The adopted person can get a copy when they reach the age of 16. At 16, adopted children may also have access to their adoption records. These are kept by the Court, who granted the Adoption Order, and the Adoption Agency.
Most children who are placed with adoptive parents have lived with their birth families. This will always be part of their history. Some will have had positive relationships which need to continue in some form after the adoption.
Adoptive parents need to be open and accepting of their child and need to know where they have come from and why they are adopted.
Adopters will be given as much information as is known about the child and their family for you to explain to the child.
We Need Adoptive Parents For:
• Pre-school children
• Brothers and sisters
• School aged children
• Children with disabilities
• Children of mixed parentage
Who Can Apply?
Applications are welcome from:
- Couples who are married must have lived together for at least three years. You will be assessed as a couple and can apply to adopt jointly. Couples who are not married must have lived together for at least three years. You will be assessed as a couple, but only one of you may apply to adopt, and become the legal parent.
- Single Persons will be assessed individually and may apply to adopt individually.
Age Limits
The minimum age limit on application to adopt is 21 years of age.
The upper age for any application is normally 48 years. However, once approved you may be older when a child is placed. We will consider placing children under 5 with approved adopters until one of you becomes 50 years of age. In the case of a school age child until the elder becomes 52. There may be certain circumstances, when , because of the particular needs of an older child or young person, that older applicants who might meet such needs may be considered
Size of Family
We are interested in parents who already have children and those who do not.
Fertility
If you are currently undergoing fertility treatment, please wait for this to finish before you apply.
Where you live
Applications will only be accepted from people who live in the Highland area.
Smoking
Children who are under 2 years or who have breathing problems cannot be placed where a member of the household smokes.
Like To Know More?
If you are interested in finding out more, then please don’t hesitate to contact us by ‘phone, or e-mail or letter.
- Phone: (01463) 703431
- e-mail: fostering@highland.gov.uk
- Letter: Fostering and Adoption Service, Kinmylies Building, Leachkin Road, Inverness, IV3 8NN
Alternatively you can contact your nearest Fostering and Adoption office directly:
Inverness Resource Centre, Limetree Avenue, Inverness
Tel: 01463 234120
Social Work Services, Corsee Resource Centre, Victoria Street, Nairn
Tel: 01667 451938
Social Work Services, 115 Grampian Road, Aviemore
Tel: 01479 812960
Conon Family Resource Centre, Sellar Place, Conon Bridge
Tel: 01349 861508
Social Work Services, Old Corrie Industrial Estate, Broadford, Isle of Skye, IV49 9AB
Tel: 01471 820174
An Drochaid, Claggan Road, Claggan, Fort William
Tel: 01397 703263
Social Work Services, Main Street, Golspie
Tel: 01408 634040
Social Work Services, Main Street, Lochinver
Tel: 01571 844332
Social Work Services, 16 High Street, Thurso
Tel: 01847 893835