What is Adoption?

Adoption involves providing a permanent family for children.  Adoption is a legal process by which the parental responsibility for a child is passed from the birth parents to adoptive parents so that the child can have a new life-long family.

Children who are likely to be adopted may have had difficult early life experiences, which may have included abuse or neglect.  The impact of these experiences may well have affected their health, development and education.  Older children and children in the same family who need to stay together can often wait up to two years before an adoptive family is found for them.

The majority of children who are adopted in North Wales are aged three or more. There is a priority need in North Wales to find adoptive families for family groups and children with disabilities. We aim to keep siblings together as they have often shared their early years and lived together in foster care relying on each other’s support.

About 120 children in North Wales are adopted each year. Many of these children are adopted by step parents. Other children awaiting adoption are those being “looked after” by the local authorities and living in foster care. Some people alternatively choose to adopt children from overseas.

The assessment process involves social workers identifying and assessing the needs of the child and identifying a family who can best meet those needs.

If you'd like to find out more about adoption, ring our Free Phone enquiry line on 0800 7313215.