When might children’s services consider adoption?

1. Within care proceedings

If children’s services have good reason (‘reasonable grounds’) to believe a child has suffered, or is likely to suffer significant harm, they may start care proceedings. This is the process of applying to the Family Court for a care order or supervision order.

Assessment work done before or during care proceedings might have concluded that it is not in the child’s best interests to remain with their parents. And if no one in a child’s wider family and friends’ network can care safely for them, children’s services may propose a final care plan for adoption.

When children’s services are considering adoption for a child, they must think about whether adoption would be in the child’s best interests throughout their life (see section 1 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002).  So, the child’s care plan must set out arrangements for the child’s care now and into the future. And should explain how the plan will meet the child’s needs.

See our Care proceedings page for more information about the processes children’s services must follow before adoption may be considered as an option for a child. Including how the support available within the child’s family and friends’ network should be explored. A family group conference can be a good way to do this.  See our Family group conference: advice for families page for details.

2. Where parents agree to their child being adopted

Adoption may be also be an option for a child if a parent is in the position where they agree to their child being adopted. In this situation:

• Parents do not have to show that adoption is the only realistic option for their child
• Children’s services do have to work with the parents.
• Children’s services must do a careful analysis of the realistic options for the child’s long term care. This might include them living long-term with a family member or friend. For more information about this, see our advice sheet Consent to adoption: information for parents.