What is adoption?

Adoption is the legal process by which a child or a group of siblings who cannot be brought up within their birth family become full, permanent and legal members of their new family.

As the adopter, you become the child’s legal parents with the same rights and responsibilities as if the child was born to you.

Adoption is different to fostering, which is used to provide temporary care while parents get help sorting out problems, take a break, or to help children or young people through a difficult period in their lives. If you think this might be more for you, contact your local authority directly via their website.

Why adopt?

There are many good reasons for wanting to adopt –

• You may not have your own children but want to be a parent
• You may already have a family but feel you still have space for another child or children
• You have masses of love, security and happiness to offer to a child who has not had a great start in life.

Adoption gives children the chance to be in a permanent stable family, filled with the trust, love and care that they need.

It’s not all plain sailing – some of our children come from families where they were neglected or suffered trauma – but you won’t be alone in helping them with this.

We can offer ongoing support to help you should you want this, or you may just wish to continue to be involved with Adopt Coast to Coast’s adoption community.

Early Permanence

Early Permanence is a route to adoption that allows a child to be cared for by approved adopters who would foster the child in the first instance while a plan for their future is still to be agreed by the courts.

Early Permanence allows you to foster a child/ren before you legally adopt them. There are benefits to choosing Early Permanence, these include:

• building a relationship with the child at the earliest opportunity
• fewer moves for the child, which can make it easier to build a secure attachment
• Additional training for those who consider Early Permanence
• Support and advice throughout the process

Early Permanence can be a rewarding way to adopt a baby or child, but you need to be aware that there is an element of uncertainty about where they will live permanently until the court’s decision is made. The child will either remain with their Early Permanence carers and can then be adopted or, in some cases, they may be reunited with their birth family.

To find out more about early permanence, watch the Early Permanence Animation below:

Early Permanence Video Transcript.pdf

Family finding

Adopt Coast to Coast will seek the best match for children from Durham and Sunderland (Together for Children) with the adopters approved or in assessment with the local authorities.

Adopt Coast to Coast also works closely with the four Voluntary Adoption Agencies which have offices in our area, and this supports Adopt Coast to Coast in also considering their adoptive families at the earliest stage too.

Adopting a stepchild

If you’d like to find out about adopting a stepchild, please contact the Adoption Support Team in your local authority.

Adopting from overseas

If you are thinking of adopting a child from overseas, you will first need to be approved as a suitable adopter in the UK. You then have your application processed by your country of choice. Speak to your local authority for more information.