Routes to adoption

There are a number of different routes to adoption including:

Mainstream adoption

Many of our children who need adoptive families will be unable to stay within their birth family for safeguarding reasons. In these circumstances, most of our children will be placed with foster carers whilst the local authority works with the birth family to assess the best outcome for the child.

If the conclusion of these assessments is that a child should be placed for adoption, the child will remain in the care of their foster carers until an adoptive family is found for them and they can move in with them.

Early Permanence

For some of our children, it will be more appropriate for them to be placed in an early permanence placement. This means that approved adopters will take on the role of foster carers until the conclusion of court hearings for the child. If the court hearings conclude the child should be placed with an adoptive family, the approved adopters will no longer take on the role of foster carers and become the adoptive family. This reduces delay and minimises the amount of moves for a child.

There are two routes for early permanence in the UK – concurrent planning and fostering for adoption (FFA). At Together for Adoption we are able to assess adopters who are interested in early permanence via the fostering for adoption route.

Step-parent or partner adoption

If you are a step-parent who wants to adopt your partner's child/children, this is managed by your local council. Please contact them directly:

• Cheshire West and Chester - email steppartneradoption@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
• Halton - call 0151 907 8305 or email contactandreferralteam@halton.gov.uk
• St Helens - call 07717 868558
• Warrington - call 01925 443322
• Wigan - visit Step parent adoption

You can also find more information about step-parent/partner adoption at GOV.UK (external link).

Intercountry adoption (adopting abroad)

If you are exploring intercountry adoption, the process of adopting a child from another country and bringing that child to your country of residence, the process is dealt with by your local council or the International Adoption Centre (IAC).  Please use the following contacts depending on where you live:

• Cheshire West and Chester - Call 0300 123 7047 or email i-ART@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
• Halton - Call 0151 907 8305 or email contactandreferralteam@halton.gov.uk
• St Helens - Call 01744 671203
• Warrington and Wigan - Call 020 8449 2562 or email info@icacentre.org.uk or visit International Adoption Agency (Centre of Adoption - IAC).

You can also find more information about intercountry adoption at GOV.UK (external link).