Adopt a Child Wales: How Long Does It Take to Adopt a Child Through the Wales Adoption Service?
If you’re hoping to adopt a child in Wales, you may be envisioning your future family and keen to understand each step of the process. With the support of a trusted adoption agency, like St. David’s Adoption, your journey to parenthood will be supported every step of the way. You likely want to know: how long will the adoption process take, and what can you expect when working with an adoption support service or local authority?
Every adoption journey is unique, but this guide will break down the timeline, highlight key steps in the process, and provide important information for any family, parent, or carer interested in adopting.
Understanding the Adoption Support Service and the Two-Stage Process
Across Wales, the process to adopt a child follows a standard framework set by the National Adoption Service in Wales. Typically, the assessment process is completed within six months from the time your formal application is accepted by your regional adoption agency.
Stage One: Initial Checks and Preparation (2 Months)
The first step with your adoption support service starts when you enquire, receive an information pack, and arrange a home visit. Once you’re ready, you’ll submit a Registration of Interest—this is the official beginning.
- Checks and References: Your adoption placement service team conducts background checks, including Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance, medical checks from your GP, and references from friends, family, or employers.
- Training and Information Sessions: You’ll attend preparation groups, gain valuable information about adoption, and meet other prospective adopters. This helps build your community within the adoption support and learn best practices in adoption.
- Self-Reflection: You’ll consider your motivation for wanting to adopt, details about your family and relationships, and what you can offer an adopted child.
At the end of this stage, your adoption team reviews all information and, if successful, will progress you to the next step.
Stage Two: Assessment and Approval (4 Months)
Working together with a dedicated social worker from your regional or local authority adoption support service, this next phase usually takes about four months.
- Home Visits and Relationship Building: Your social worker will visit you and your family multiple times. These meetings help them get to know you and understand your support network.
- Prospective Adopters Report (PAR): This essential document is built in partnership with your worker and details why you are ready to adopt and what you can offer a child.
- Adoption Panel and Approval: The PAR is presented to the Adoption Panel, which is part of best practice in adoption across Wales. The decision maker at your adoption agency considers the panel’s recommendation before granting approval.
Ideally, you could be approved as an adopter in six months, but the adoption team is there to advise and support you if the timeframe varies due to personal circumstances or additional checks.
Family Finding: Matching You with the Right Child
Once approved as an adoptive parent, you’ll move on to family finding with the support of your social worker and the adoption placement service.
- Your Preferences Matter: If you’re open to adopting an older child, sibling groups, or children with additional support needs, you may be matched sooner. There are always children waiting to be adopted and in need of supportive and loving families.
- Teamwork for the Best Fit: Social workers, the National Adoption Support Service, and local authorities work collaboratively to match you with the right child or children. Your adoption agency will keep you informed of any profiles or children who may be a good fit and provide ongoing advice and support.
Each match is unique, and the timeline to finding the right child can vary. For some families, it may happen within months; others may wait longer, especially if you have specific preferences.
Why the Timeline Can Vary with Your Wales Adoption Service
While the National Adoption Service aims for a six-month assessment, delays sometimes occur:
- Medical Reports: Occasional delays in receiving information from your GP or other professionals.
- Personal Changes: Life events like moving house or changing your family circumstances may lead you to pause the process; your adoption agency will accommodate these changes.
- Additional Information Required: If background checks or information need further exploration, your team will guide you every step of the way, ensuring best practice is followed for you and the child.
Making the Most of Your Time: Practical Steps for Prospective Parents
While you wait, there are ways to prepare for family life with an adopted child:
- Gain Childcare Experience: Volunteer locally or support friends and family, especially if you’re interested in adopting younger children or sibling groups.
- Prepare Your Home and Family: Make your space welcoming and speak openly with your support network about your plan to adopt.
- Educate Yourself: Access guides, blogs, and advice from your regional adoption team to learn about adoption support, attachment, and the impact of adoption on family life.
- Build Relationships and Support: Every step is easier when you have friends, family, and your adoption agency walking beside you.
Your Adoption Journey: A Rewarding Family Experience
For anyone looking to adopt a child in Wales, patience and openness are key. St. David’s Adoption and their dedicated social work teams are there to support you from first steps to final approval and beyond. The process ensures your family is ready to offer the right support, love, and stability for a child who needs you most.
Adoption is about building families, offering every child a fresh start, and ensuring parents and carers have the guidance they need. The timeline is just one part of your journey; what matters most is creating a loving family that will last a lifetime.