Adopting From Overseas
Could you adopt Isabella?
We are looking for a new family for Isabella. Could you be her new family? Why not find out more?
Currently there are around 300 children adopted by UK families from overseas each year. Such adoptions can be plagued by legal and administrative complexities and many believe that the needs of these children would be better served if they were able to secure a place within a family in their country of origin. For some the idea of allowing children to be adopted by a foreign person or family, who are almost always from a very different culture, and are often of different racial origin, is a very questionable practice.
Those who wish to adopt from overseas must first become an approved adopter. To do this they should contact their local social services who may carry out the home study themselves or ask another agency or independent social worker to do it for them. An individual or family can also ask a voluntary adoption agency to carry out the assessment. A home study cannot be obtained from any other organisation or individual.
Most agencies which offer services related to overseas adoption are based in the U.S.A. where there has been a much greater number of overseas adoptions. Overseas agencies should not assist you to adopt a child from abroad until you have completed the process outlined above. If they offer to do so before confirming your status as an approved adopter we would strongly suggest that you should not use them.
Our organisation is concerned with adoption within the UK only and we are therefore unable to offer advice or assistance regarding inter country adoption. You should consult those organisations listed in our National section under overseas adoption who may be able to help you.
For more information on Inter Country Adoption we would refer you to the sources below.
B.A.A.F. advice note "inter country adoption". This costs under £5 and can be purchased over the telephone. For more details visit their web site.
For fact sheets on adoption from particular countries visit the DFES web site. They also have an Intercountry Adoption Guide.
