Can I adopt in the UK if I am planning to move abroad?
You can adopt a child in the UK if your permanent home is in the UK, or you have been habitually resident for at least a year - you do not have to be British
For practical reasons, however, most adoption agencies would expect you to be resident in the UK for at least two years, sometimes longer, to allow sufficient time for you to be assessed, prepared, approved as an adoptive parent, matched with a child and to apply to the court for an adoption order.
Many of the children needing adoption have experienced a great deal of insecurity and changes in their lives, and the additional upheaval resulting from a move abroad, including a possible change of culture and/or language, may not be appropriate for some of them. For other children needing to maintain regular face-to-face contact with their birth family, a move abroad may also be unsuitable. It is important that you discuss any known future plans to move abroad with your social worker, so that they can take this into consideration to help appropriately match you with a child.
You may also find it helpful to:
- Read more about the adoption process
- Read some of our answers to other common questions, such as 'Can I adopt from abroad?' and 'What is direct and indirect contact?'
- Have a look at some of the children's profiles we have online - you can do this without having to subscribe
- Check through our useful resources.
Last updated: 30 March 10
