If you are a birth parent and your child is being considered for adoption, this section will help you understand your options, your rights and how the Islington Adoption Service can help. You can approach us before or after your child is born.
If Islington Social Services have taken and intend placing your child for adoption against your will, you will need to speak with a legal adviser to ensure your feelings are recorded and ultimately heard before a judge.
Whether you or social services make the decision, the process is the same. Your child will be placed with a foster carer, and a new family will be found for your child.
At Islington Adoption Service our main aim is to consider the needs of the children. We also aim to support birth parents and adoptive parents equally and any enquiries made to us are confidential and non-judgemental.
You can ask for a separate social worker from your child to make sure you get
all the support and help you need. All the relevant reports on your child
should also be shared with you to comment on.
If you are a birth parent and want to place your child for adoption, you can
call us and meet with a social worker. The social worker will be able to
answer questions you may have and advise you on what will happen, based on the
decisions you make. They can also suggest ways that will help you if you do
want to try and raise your child, linking you with council services and
outside organisations who specialise in supporting birth parents. If you are a
single parent, there are groups who can help. For more information, see
Links.
Adoption is a way of legally providing a child with new parents, and ending
the legal relationship between a child and their birth parents. Adoptions are
arranged by adoption agencies and are made legal by the court – having been
satisfied that the adoption is in the best interest of the child.
The relationship between you and your child before and after birth is a special one. When you decide adoption is right for you and your child, one of our social workers will ask a number of personal questions about you, your life, your family and the child’s birth father. When we speak to people who have been adopted, we understand it is important for them to know as much about their birth family as possible. We also find that this information helps when telling the new family about the child and their background. Our social worker will ask you what type of family you would like your child to grow up in, e.g. culturally, religion, etc.
Once the decision is made for adoption, both you and your child will be likely to experience many different feelings. Depending on the age of the child and their memories, most children will feel a sense of loss, confusion and separation – some of these feelings will remain, and others will fade in time. As a birth parent, the same applies - depending on your circumstances.
At this stage, you are still completely free to change your mind, and raise
your child yourself.
Separation and Contact
Once your child is born and leaves hospital, they will be placed with a foster carer. Indirect contact may be possible, with the exchange of letters via post. With agreement from the court it may be possible for you to receive photographs or send a small gift maybe once or twice a year. All letters and gifts are viewed by the Post Adoption Worker (part of the Islington Adoption Team) and vetted to ensure both parties are protected.
We understand that making the decision to place your child for adoption is a
difficult and emotional one to make, that is why there is a delay of at least
6 weeks after the birth before you are asked for your agreement in writing to
the court.
Once a family has been found, your child will leave the foster carer and will live with their new family. The child and new family will be visited regularly and eventually, an Adoption Order will be applied for. If the court agrees with the recommendation, the new family will have the legal parental responsibility for your child and all legal ties with you end. You may continue with direct/indirect contact if this has been agreed. Again, this may be a very emotional time, and talking about your feelings may help – assistance is available both via the council and independent agencies.
New families are encouraged to keep the memories of each child’s birth family and past alive, and their culture and religion. Once the Adoption Order is granted the child’s surname will be changed to that of the adopters. An Adoption Certificate will be issued (similar to a birth certificate) with the name of the new family.
At the age of 18, an adopted person can, if they wish view their birth records file. This will contain information about you, your life before adoption and the reasons for the decisions made and by whom. Sometimes people who have been adopted try to trace their birth family, as they feel this will help them in some way. Some choose to do this immediately they are legally able and some wait for many years. As a birth parent, you need to be aware that your child may try and trace you in the future.
The person adopted can contact Islington Council (or the local authority or agency where they believe they were adopted) or they can register their details on the National Adoption Register.
See Ask Islington for Frequently Asked Questions on adoption.
Page Last Updated: 31 October 2008