We welcome applications from anyone who wishes to become adoptive parents provided they meet the following criteria:

Age of applicants

Adopters have to be over the age of 21 years to adopt, there is no legal upper age limit.

Applicants need to be able to provide a stable home for a child until adulthood and beyond, and therefore the applicant’s own age may affect the age range of children for whom they can be considered.

Criminal Convictions

If an applicant has a criminal conviction it may still be possible for he or she to adopt.

However in the interests of child protection anyone who has committed certain criminal offences, especially those crimes which are violent and crimes against children will not be eligible to adopt.

Marital Status

Applicants may be single, married or living in a permanent relationship. Couples should have been living together for at least two years before applying to adopt.

Applicants should be emotionally and financially secure and settled in their lives, and have a home, which has the emotional and physical space for a child or children.

Race, culture, heritage and religion

Where possible we would wish to place children in a family that reflects the race, culture, heritage and religion of their family of birth.

We therefore welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Sexuality

We accept applications from people regardless of their sexuality.

Health

Applicants need to be fit enough to care for a child throughout its childhood; medical problems are not an automatic bar to adoption.

All applicants are required to have a medical, which is seen by our Medical Advisor who will advise us whether the applicants are fit enough to adopt.

Smoking

We do not place children under the age of four years, or any child with a tendency to respiratory illness, asthma or with middle ear problems in households where one or more adults smoke.

We would prefer that all applicants were non-smokers.

Overseas Adoptions

We offer a service to those applicants wishing to adopt from overseas. However there is a charge for the completion of the Home Study report and approval process necessary to be able to adopt from another country.

Age of applicant's own children

Research shows that a minimum age gap of 2 years is advisable between the ages of adoptive applicant’s children and any child placed with them.