Adoption

Adoption - Change a child's world

Adopting a child is one of the most challenging, but also one of the most rewarding things you can ever do. It is life changing for everyone involved. Perth and Kinross are looking for adopters who can provide a loving, safe, secure and permanent home for children who cannot be looked after by their birth families. Applicants are welcomed regardless of their relationship status, sexuality, beliefs or ethnicity.

Why adopt with Perth and Kinross?

• Perth and Kinross Adoption Team is small dedicated service with experienced and committed social work staff
• Each application will be dealt with in a professional and timely manner, with clear time scales and processes mapped out
• When possible we would like to match you with a child within Perth and Kinross and provide a full wrap around service to the adoption with only one agency to deal with
• We are also able to search out with Perth and Kinross through the Scottish Adoption Register to find the most positive match
• We work closely with specialist educational or therapeutic services within Perth and Kinross when they are required
• Training and support is offered to help you prepare for becoming an adoptive parent and once a child is placed and an adoption order is granted, support continues to be available whenever you feel you need it
• Support work from adoption staff is based on Theraplay principles and the staff group have accessed Theraplay training.

The children

In Perth and Kinross, the children who need adoptive families vary in age from birth up to the age of about seven. It is more difficult to find adopters for children with disabilities, older children and siblings. Children who need adoptive families are likely to have additional needs which may affect their health and development. In recent years, we have seen an increase in children who have experienced neglect and whose birth parents misuse drugs and alcohol. This can mean that their future development is uncertain and the impact of their early experiences has a lifelong effect on their behaviour and emotional development.

If you are interested in applying to adopt with Perth and Kinross please read our additional information sheets and then consider completing our initial enquiry form or call us and ask to speak to a member of the Adoption Team on 01738 472260.

Concurrent care

Perth & Kinross Council has introduced concurrent planning as an additional way of providing children with a positive care experience from as early an age as possible. If a child has a concurrent care plan, this means that from birth he/she will be fostered by concurrent carers while birth parents undertake a parenting capacity assessment to determine if the child can return permanently to their care. There are two possible outcomes with a concurrent care plan. Either:

• the child returns to his/her birth parents and is brought up by them; or
• the child cannot return to his/her birth parents and goes on to be adopted by the concurrent carers who fostered the child.

If you are interested in being considered as a concurrent carer please read the additional information leaflets and contact a member of the adoption team for further discussions.

What we do and other services we offer

• We work with and support children who require adoptive families
• We offer advice, assessment and support to people who are thinking of adopting a child
• We offer advice to people who are thinking of adopting a child from overseas
• We provide post adoption support to adoptive families and this can also involve direct work with children
• We offer support to  adults who were adopted as children (PDF) [758KB]  who wish to access their adoption record and/or who are thinking about tracing birth family members
• We assess and provide guidance for  adopting a stepchild (PDF) [649KB]
• We offer support for  birth parents (PDF) [764KB]  and families who have been affected by adoption
• We offer advice and support to adoptive families and birth families to maintain contact via letter exchange and / or direct contact