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.
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.
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.
For more detailed information see When might children’s services consider adoption? on our Adoption page.
Any father who thinks there is a plan of adoption for his child should urgently take legal advice from a solicitor who is a specialist in children law. Or who has Children Law Accreditation.
To find a solicitor, search using the ‘how to find a solicitor’ function on the Law Society website. See our Working with a solicitor guide on our Top tips and templates page for more information about finding and working with a solicitor.