Making an enquiry about a child
Your guide to enquiring about children on Be My Parent
Who can enquire?
Subscribing to Be My Parent
The Adoption Register for England and Wales
Who can enquire?
You can begin the search for a child or children before or after becoming approved as an adoptive or foster parent. However, the child's social worker may favour the application of approved adopters as it might avoid further delays for the child.
If you are approved, or soon to be approved, most agencies will employ several child placement strategies. In particular, local authorities will be looking to see if any local children are appropriate for you, and may ask you to wait for a certain period, usually up to three months after approval, before responding to children featured by other agencies in family-finding publications such as the Be My Parent website and newspaper. Voluntary agencies do not have their 'own' children to place and consequently will consider children from a range of local authorities.
When enquiring about a child, if you have not yet applied to an agency, you could ask the child's agency if they would be willing to assess you at this stage, or would consider arranging for another agency, closer to you, to assess you on their behalf. However, this would only happen in exceptional circumstances, so finding a local adoption agency to assess you is usually the best option.
Subscribing to Be My Parent
If you subscribe to the Be My Parent newspaper, or your agency receives copies, you can enquire about children by contacting the Be My Parent team, who will pass on the child's social worker details to you.
If you subscribe to Be My Parent online, you can make enquiries directly to social workers, using our secure online connection. To get started, go to 'Register here' in the green login box above.
The Adoption Register for England and Wales
In England and Wales, local authorities and voluntary adoption agencies must refer you to the Adoption Register for England and Wales three months after you have been approved, with your consent, if your agency has not identified a link or match with a child. Your agency may also refer you as soon as you have been approved. You can complete a form yourself so that your details are available to the Register but your approving agency must agree to you being entered onto the Register.
At present, Scotland is not included in the register, but there are other linking services available. For more information, contact BAAF Scotland.
Last updated: 30 July 07
