Intercountry adoption

Intercountry adoption

Adopting from overseas

What is intercountry adoption?

Hammersmith and Fulham Council provides an intercountry adoption service to residents living within the borough. Intercountry adoption is a complex process that involves the adoption of a child who is habitually resident in one country by an individual or couple who are habitually resident in another country. The intercountry adoption process in the UK is governed by international conventions to which the UK is a signatory and UK legislation and regulations including the Adoption and Children Act 2002. Prospective adopters are further required to comply with the law in the child’s country of origin.

At the heart of the process is the child and the primary purpose of the conventions and legislation is to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child, as well as safeguard birth families and prospective adopters.

Intercountry adoption may be considered for a child in circumstances where, the child cannot be cared for safely and appropriately by their birth family or any other permanent family, in the child’s country of origin. It is essential that it is clearly evident that intercountry adoption is in the child’s best interests and that birth parents have given informed consent to the adoption of their child after it’s birth. In cases where the child has been abandoned, or birth parents are unable to safely care for their child, there needs to be evidence that an appropriate authority in the child’s country of origin have deemed that intercountry adoption is in the child’s best interests.

There may be occasions when Hammersmith and Fulham is the child’s country of origin and a plan is made to place a child for adoption overseas. This would most likely occur when a child’s relatives or other adopted siblings are residing in another country.

The process

In brief, the intercountry adoption process requires:

• an assessment of the prospective adopters suitability to adopt by an adoption agency
• the issue of a certificate by the Department of Education
• other steps that will vary according to the circumstances of each case, but govern the matching of a child with prospective adopters, the prospective adopters meeting the child and the bringing of the child into the UK
• It is important to be aware that it some cases prospective adopters may be required to adopt the child under UK law after a period of time of living together as a family.

Hammersmith and Fulham’s population is a diverse one and therefore it may be that a relative living in the Local Authority wishes to adopt a child living overseas. It is important for relatives to be aware that they are required to follow the same process as any other prospective adopter. Furthermore, relatives need to be aware that immigration rules will also apply to the child they wish to bring into the UK and this will include being able to demonstrate that the child is in need of adoption. This is often a complex matter which may require specialist immigration legal advice.

The profile of children available for intercountry adoption

The profile of the children available for adoption overseas will vary from country to country and includes children under a year old as well as older children. It is important that prospective adopters understand that in many cases information about the child’s history, health and development is unavailable or limited. Whilst prospective adopters may be advised at the point of placement that the child is healthy, it is essential that prospective adopters are prepared for a child who later, may have health, developmental, emotional and behavioural needs as a result of their early life experiences.

Timescales

This will vary from case to case but the assessment of suitability usually takes between 6 to 8 months form the point of application to presentation of the application at the adoption panel. The application to adopt is then sent to the Department of Education who currently take 12 to 14 weeks to process the application to adopt and send it overseas. The period of time that prospective adopters may wait for a match with a child is highly variable and may in some cases take several years.

Finance

Hammersmith and Fulham along with other local authorities and adoption agencies charge a fee for the assessment of prospective adopters’ suitability. The intercountry adoption process requires many other fees to be paid and it is important that prospective adopters have a realistic expectation of the total costs involved before embarking upon the process.

Countries open to intercountry adoption

There is a limited number of countries open to intercountry adoption as not all countries will place children for adoption overseas. It may be that the prospective adopter has a particular close link with the country they wish to adopt from and are able to proceed with an application to adopt from that country. Otherwise the countries that UK prospective adopters most frequently apply to are Russia, India, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan and Thailand.

The intercountry adoption service from Hammersmith and Fulham

Hammersmith and Fulham provides a professional and responsive service through the Intercountry Adoption Coordinator, who is highly experienced in intercountry adoption. A Hammersmith and Fulham resident wishing to intercountry adopt can expect the following:

• There is currently no waiting list to be assessed as a suitable prospective adopter
• The support of the Intercountry Adoption Coordinator throughout the entire process from initial enquiry to the prospective adopters returning to the UK with their child and where required the adoption of the child in the UK
• The opportunity to meet with other intercountry adopters in Hammersmith and Fulham
• The benefits secured by Hammersmith and Fulham subscribing to the Intercountry Adoption Centre
• Access to the outreach surgery in Hammersmith run by experienced adoption workers from the Post Adoption Centre for advice on adoption matters
• The opportunity to attend support groups (free of charge) provided by the West London Consortium where speakers are invited to talk about adoption matters. This also includes specific intercountry adoption matters such as institutionalisation and behaviour in intercountry adopted children and an intercountry adoptee’s experience, and general adoption matters such as communicating with children to strengthen attachments.

What do intercountry adopters in Hammersmith and Fulham say about the service?

"When you start the intercountry adoption process it seems like such a long and uphill struggle, but it is, without a doubt, the best thing I have ever done. I wondered if it would ever happen but I am now the proud mum of two lovely children. Hammersmith and Fulham Social Services held my hand the whole way and I cannot say enough good things about them. Thank you for making us a family!"
Fiona

"The support offered by Hammersmith and Fulham greatly facilitated the integration of both our children into family and school life…….their expertise in guiding us through the legal minefield when we bought our children home was invaluable….. looking back, yes, it was arduous. Was it worth it? Absolutely!!"
Sarah and Russell

"My decision to adopt internationally had not been an easy one and I had been warned to expect minimal support, obstruction even, from Social Services. When I made my first, nervous call to Hammersmith and Fulham, I found a friendly and welcoming voice at the other end... Hammersmith and Fulham offered me their whole-hearted and generous support through a complex and confounding process... I was guided through the Home Study; put in touch with other intercountry adopters in the area; given comprehensive information about a huge range of adoption issues; advised and encouraged at every turn... Thank you, Hammersmith and Fulham!"
Catherine

"The intercountry adoption process can at first seem an extremely daunting and complicated process.  However, our Hammersmith & Fulham social workers put us at ease every step of the way and made the whole process as pleasant and straight-forward as possible"
Giles and Laura

More information

Further information about intercountry adoption can also be obtained from the Department for Education website (opens new window) and the intercountry Adoption Centre website: www.icacentre.org.uk (opens new window).

To make an enquiry about intercountry adoption or for further advice and information please contact the Intercountry Adoption Coordinator, Hilary Eastham on 020 8753 2316 or email hilary.eastham@lbhf.gov.uk .

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