Adoption process here at PACT
To adopt a child there is a regulated legal process that all prospective adopters must undertake. Some people may think that the process is long and intense. It is thorough but it’s important that all adoptive parents are properly prepared and assessed to be able to meet the needs of children who have experienced loss, and are likely to have had a traumatic start to their life. Our team at PACT is here to guide and support adopters through every step of this process to become a parent.
Enquiry stage
Research
Contact PACT enquiries team
Attend a PACT adoption information event
Consider your home situation – no plans to move or have renovations
Information sharing meeting with a PACT adoption social worker
Gain voluntary experience with children, particularly children with needs similar to those in care
Obtain references and overseas checks if you have lived abroad
Choose an adoption agency
Complete a Registration of Interest (ROI) form
Stage one
Meet your social worker
Statutory checks made including DBS (police check), local authority check and health assessment
References obtained
Attend initial adoption preparation training course
Undertake some reading/additional learning activity
Continue voluntary work experience
Register with the Children And Trauma Community Hub (CATCH) for online support
Stage two
Assessment with your allocated social worker
Assessment report (PAR) presented to PACT adoption panel
Further training for you and your family
Family finding
Meet your allocated family finder
Link you with a child or children
Local authority matching adoption panel approval
Introductions – visits (around 10 to 28 days) to enable you to get to know your child(ren)
Child(ren) come to live with you in your home
Establishing your family
Becoming parents
Adoption support and reviews of the placement
Legal Adoption Order and celebration hearing (4-12 months after placement)
Ongoing adoption placement support
Continuing adoption training
Support groups and family fun days
Access to FACTS therapeutic services
Download our guide to adoption
Our Brief Guide to Adoption contains information about PACT and what to expect from the adoption process. You can also fill in our enquiry form to receive a full Adoption Information Pack which will explain each step of the process in detail.
Could you adopt?
Interested to find out how easy it would be for you to adopt? Use our interactive self-assessment tool to find out now!
Talking Adoption show
Hear our team chat about the adoption process and answer your questions.
To see more videos in our Talking Adoption series, click below.
Take the next step…
Read our FAQs
Our frequently asked questions answer some of the most common questions we receive about adopting with PACT.
Contact our enquiries team
Get in touch with our friendly Enquiries team to find out more about adopting with PACT.
Come to an information event
Come to one of our online adoption information events and find out if adoption is right for you.
