Adoption is when someone's child or baby is given to someone else to look after forever. It can be a really hard decision to make, so it's important to get the help and support you need.
Deciding to have your child adopted is your decision. And it's important you're 100% sure it's the right one.
If you decide to give your baby up for adoption, first you'll need to speak to an adoption agency. Adoption agencies are people in charge of making all the arrangements for new parents to look after your baby or child.
Once everything has been agreed, the courts make this arrangement final with an adoption court order. This is a document that gives the new parents all legal rights and responsibilities for your child, and the adoption becomes permanent. Your child will take the surname of their new family.
4 reasons someone might have their child adopted:
Whatever your reason, remember that it's your choice, and your right to decide what you want to do.
how to know
what's the
RIGHT DECISION?
When your baby is born, they'll be placed in the care of a temporary foster carer, or the new parents if they have been chosen.
There are lots of people who want to be parents in the UK. And anyone wanting to adopt will go through interviews and checks to make sure they're able to provide the best care for a child.
You can choose to be involved in deciding on the parents. Or, you can let the adoption agency decide. It can be difficult to decide on the right thing to do, but it's important to consider how this might affect you in the long run.
Can you still see your baby after they've been adopted?
When you decide to give your baby up for adoption, you can sometimes specify whether you would like to remain in contact. This can be face to face or through letters.
It can be helpful talking to your social worker about this decision, as they can offer guidance and support.
Adoption is a big decision, and there's no right or wrong answer. So it's important to talk about how you're feeling during this time.
Going through the adoption process can be really tough. And after the baby is born, even though you may feel it was the right decision, you might feel relief, guilt, sadness or grief.
It can be a big change to get used to, so you can talk to a counsellor in confidence about how you're feeling at any time.
Other sites that can help:
