Minimising delay in the adopter assessment process
The two stage adopter assessment process was introduced into secondary legislation on July 1st 2013. DfE commissioned BAAF to provide training to all adoption agencies and to report on how the new system was working. During this training agencies identified some areas where they would welcome more clarification. Guidance Note 3 – Minimising delay in […]
Thinking of fostering again?
Many adopters who have experienced the joys of helping a child to settle into their family wish to adopt again. There are many reasons for wanting to welcome another child into the family and adoptive parents will want to consider how this will affect them and the children already in their family. There is also […]
‘Fast Track’ Assessment
Second time adopters and approved foster carers who have had children placed with them will have gained considerable experience and have already been through a thorough preparation and assessment process. Therefore if they wish to make a further application to be assessed to adopt, there is a fast track assessment process which should take no […]
Adoption leave and pay
Employed adopters are usually entitled to adoption leave and may be entitled to adoption pay, which is a legal right. Some employers may offer a more generous scheme than the statutory one, but they cannot offer less than the statutory amounts. Statutory Adoption Leave Adopters who are employed (or one of a couple) may be […]
Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund: Q&A for service providers
What do I need to do to deliver adoption support services funded by the ASGSF? If you are an independent provider of services you must be registered with Ofsted to access funding from the ASGSF or you can be employed to provide adoption support services (which are paid for through the ASGSF) under the Ofsted […]
Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund: Q&A for parents
Is there limit to how much funding a family can access? Until the end of March 2026, the ASGSF will have a single fair access limit of £3,000 per child per year. Specialist assessments up to the level of £2,500 per child will be considered, but only within the overall £3,000 fair access limit. What […]
Fostering stories
Sometimes it helps to hear first-hand accounts from people who have made the journey ahead of you. We’re gathering stories of people from all walks of life who have become parents through the adoption process. We’d also love to hear from you if your life has been touched by adoption – whether as an adopted […]
Contact in adoption: making sense of the past
Adopted children need to know and understand their history and we no longer live in an age when the facts of adoption are kept secret from children. Photos and a life story book are important to help children to make sense of what happened in the past and to help them remember important people who […]
‘Meet the adopter’ webcasts
Our Meet the Adopter series of webcasts are a chance to hear the views and inspiring stories from a range of adopters. Find out what they learned during the process and their advice for prospective adopters. These webcasts are also all available to download as audio only podcasts.
Adoption Activity Days
Adoption Activity Days are organised events that give approved adopters, or prospective adopters at an advanced stage of approval, the opportunity to engage with children who need adoptive parents, in a safe, supported and fun environment. These events allow the children and prospective adopters to interact through fun and enjoyable activities such as face painting, climbing, craft […]