Who can adopt?
Adopters come from a wide range of backgrounds. You can be single, married, or with a long-term partner. You can be straight or gay. You may or may not have children of your own and you don't have to be a homeowner. We welcome any ethnic origin or religion, although we do particularly need adopters of mixed ethnicity and / or people able to adopt siblings.
Now that we have the Adoption and Children Act 2002, unmarried couples (including same-sex partners) are eligible to adopt jointly, although (as with all couples) you will need to demonstrate that your relationship is stable, and that you've been living together for at least two years.
If there a lot of change going on in your life, we recommend waiting for things to settle down before applying.
This is a general guide. Your actual suitability to adopt can only be determined during the approval process, when we get to know you better. Not everyone makes it through to the final stage. If you are interested in finding out more you can make an enquiry. We will discuss your circumstances with you and look to take things from there.
Contact Birmingham Adoption and Fostering Service.