The big adoption quiz!
Research carried out by BAAF to support this year’s National Adoption Week has revealed that the general public’s view on adoption is 30 years out of date. So how current is your knowledge? Have a look at the ten following statements and decide whether they are true or false. Then click on them to see if you’re right or have a look a the answers below.
1. Only people who are married can adopt
2. I need to own my house to be able to adopt
3. People with a low income are still able to adopt
4. I can’t adopt if I have a criminal record
5. People over 40 are too old to adopt
6. I can adopt if I have a disability
7. Most children are adopted because they have been ‘given up’ by their birth family
8. Children over the age of seven wait the longest for a family
9. The adoption process always takes longer than a year
10. My adopted child may have contact with his or her birth family
The answers!
1. Only people who are married can adopt
FALSE!
You don’t have to be married to adopt. In fact, in England and Wales, anyone can apply to adopt including married people, single people, unmarried couples, and same-sex couples. This has also been the case in Scotland since the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 came into force in 2009, and is under review in Northern Ireland.
2. I need to own my house to be able to adopt
FALSE!
Being in rented accommodation doesn’t rule you out. However, you shouldn’t be on a tenancy or lease that is about to expire. If you rent your home then you should inform your landlord that you are going to adopt a child/ren. Also, agencies will want to be assured that you are not at risk of losing your home through defaulting on rent or mortgage payments.
3. People with a low income are still able to adopt
TRUE!
You do not have to be wealthy to adopt a child. If you are deemed the right match for a child, agencies will do all they can to ensure that the child is successfully adopted. Just like any other parent, you will be expected to meet the general costs of caring for a child but, if you are assessed as needing some help, many agencies will provide a settling-in grant and possible regular means-tested financial support.
4. I can’t adopt if I have a criminal record
FALSE!
A criminal record does not necessarily rule you out from being an adopter, but there are certain defined offences that will preclude you, such as any offences against children of a sexual nature. The nature of your offence and how long ago you committed it will be important in deciding whether to accept your application. It is very important that you are honest and tell the agency about your offence, however trivial or distant. All your convictions will be reported upon when you complete your Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) or police check with the agency.
5. People over 40 are too old to adopt
FALSE!
You have to be over 21 to adopt, but there is no legal upper-limit. Most agencies will consider up to a 45-year age gap between an adopter and a child, but decisions are based upon what is in the best interests of the child – some children may need a younger carer. Agencies have a responsibility to ensure that, as far as possible, adopters are likely to have the health and energy to care for a child until adulthood. All prospective adopters are required to have a medical examination for this purpose.
6. I can adopt if I have a disability
TRUE!
Many disabled people have been approved to adopt, who have shown that they have the appropriate abilities to care for a child and meet his or her needs. This is determined through a medical carried out during the assessment process. Disabled carers may have experiences that have given them transferable qualities ideal for parenting, such as strength and determination.
7. Most children are adopted because they have been ‘given up’ by their birth family
FALSE!
While it used to be the case that many children waiting for adoption were relinquished by their birth family, nowadays the most common reason is because they have been removed due to abuse and neglect at home. According to the BAAF research, 39 per cent of people hold this false belief.
8. Children over the age of seven wait the longest for a family
TRUE!
Children older than seven can wait along time, although it is also true that black children, children from an ethnic minority or of mixed ethnicity, children with disabilities, and sibling groups can wait an equally long time. Families who can adopt children from these groups are urgently needed in the UK, and there is a particular shortage of black and minority ethnic families. Vigorous efforts are made to find a family that matches the child’s individual identity, as practice indicates that children do much better when brought up in a family that reflects their own ethnicity but, given the profile of prospective adopters, this is not always achievable.
9. The adoption process always takes longer than a year
FALSE!
The adoption process can take over a year, but this is not always the case. The average length of time from your formal application to be assessed, to your adoption panel meeting is approximately eight months according to guidance for England under the Adoption and Children Act 2002. For Scotland the recommended time scale is seven months.
10. My adopted child may have contact with his or her birth family
TRUE!
Research has shown that, for many children, some form of contact after adoption between the child and their birth parents, siblings, other relatives and significant others can be beneficial. When proposing any arrangements for contact, the child’s agency will need to consider whether it is in the best interests of the child. The most common form of contact is indirect contact (also called letterbox contact), where letters or cards are exchanged perhaps once or twice a year, usually through the child’s agency. Other contact arrangements may include face-to-face meetings (known as direct contact) once a year or more frequently, particularly if the child has siblings.
Do you have more questions? We probably have the answers for you!
You can also read this related article
Find out more about National Adoption Week
Last updated: 28 October 10
