Adoption

Adoption is a legal procedure which involves an application to Court.

An Adoption Order transfers all parental responsibility for the child to the adopters and once it has been made it cannot be reversed, except in extremely rare circumstances.

The adopted child has a new family and loses all legal ties with their birth parents. The child would usually take the adopting family’s name.

Step-parent adoption law

As a step-parent you can look to adopt your step-child, but there are also other options to give you legal rights and responsibilities without ending the child’s legal relationship with their natural parent. For example, you can apply for a Special Guardianship Order or a Residence Order. By talking through your particular situation with you, we can help you work out what's best for you and the child.

Adoption following social services involvement

Our team of Family lawyers have extensive experience of Public Law Proceedings. We have represented many parents and children in proceedings where a Local Authority has applied for a Care Order and is going on to ask the Court to make a Placement Order (authority to place a child for adoption). 

These types of cases are not straightforward and free legal aid is generally available to help parents receive advice and specialist legal representation. We have solicitors who are Members of the Law Society Children Panel, and who are experts in representing families in adoption law situations like these. 

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Adoption law support for adoptive parents

Adoption UK was founded by adoptive parents to offer adoption law support information, advice and encouragement to prospective and established adopters. When a decision is made for a child to be adopted parents often feel alone and isolated and therefore, we can also give specialist advice about obtaining appropriate support.

If you would like to have a chat about your options or how we may be able to help you please contact a member of the team, complete our call back form or contact us directly at your local office.

Your Family Law Team

Oluwapelumi (Amanda) Adeola

Partner

Oluwapelumi (Amanda) Adeola specialises in private Family Law. She moved to the Northeast from London after completing her Legal Practice Course and trained…

Andrea Hewitson

Partner

Andrea is a specialist Family Lawyer with over 30 years’ experience. She undertook her law degree at Northumbria University and went on to study for…

Alex Clancy

Senior Associate

Alex began her career as a Family Law Clerk at Watson Woodhouse Solicitors after graduating from Teesside University in 2004. She spent her first year…

Cheryl Whyte

Senior Associate

Cheryl joined BHP Law in January 2023 as a Senior Associate to help expand the public aspect of the firms growing Family team. Cheryl qualified…

Charlotte Brown

Associate

Charlotte joined BHP Law in February 2024 as an Associate Solicitor to help expand the child law aspect of the firm’s growing family team. Charlotte…

Maariyah Zaman

Solicitor

Maariyah is a newly qualified Solicitor specialising in Family Law, predominantly public children law. Maariyah started her career as a legal secretary…

Nicole Shaw

Trainee Solicitor

Nicole joined BHP Law in January 2023 as a Trainee Solicitor having worked at VCW Law for nearly five years within the Family Department. Nicole commenced…

Gillian Mitchell

Chartered Legal Executive

With over 20 years experience as a Chartered Legal Executive specialising in Family Law, Gillian joined BHP Law's family team in October 2020 bringing…

Leanne Walker

Chartered Legal Executive Advocate

Leanne made the change from the procurement sector to law, having completed her part-time Open University law degree with upper second-class honours in…

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