We help you navigate the adoption process and grow your family.
Adopting a child can be an amazing experience, but a complex process involving many conflicting emotions. At Susan Howarth & Co, our expert adoption solicitors take a sensitive, compassionate and practical approach, helping individuals and families to navigate this journey and covering all the legal practicalities.
The adoption process involves transferring parental responsibility for a child from their birth parents to an adoptive parent(s). The adoptive parent raises the child and takes legal responsibility for them. Once the adoption process is complete, no legal ties remain between the birth family and the child.
If you are considering adopting a child or having your child adopted, it’s vital that you have the support of experienced adoption solicitors.
Our expert lawyers can support clients across all areas of child adoption including:
- General legal advice on adoption
- Support through the adoption process, from the early application stages to obtaining an Adoption Order
- Support if you are facing an adoption appeal or any type of adoption dispute
Contact our adoption solicitors in Northwich, Cheshire
If you’d like to discuss your legal needs with one of our expert lawyers today, give us a call on 01606 48777 or email info@susanhowarthsolicitors.co.uk.
Frequently asked questions about adoption
What should we do if we are thinking of adopting?
There are various steps involved in adopting a child. All must be handled properly to ensure success and protect your personal and legal interests. If you have made the decision to adopt a child, either alone or with a partner, early legal support is advised.
Our specialist lawyers at Susan Howarth always make sure that clients appreciate the relevant UK adoption laws and understand all their responsibilities moving forward.
Equally, if you are planning on having your child adopted, we can offer advice, answering any queries you may have about the legal aspects.
What support is available during the adoption application process?
Our legal team have extensive experience supporting clients through the adoption application process. We will ensure that you are suitably prepared for all the stages. Our lawyers can support you to complete the relevant child adoption papers, ensuring that everything runs as smoothly as possible and helping you to avoid any potential setbacks.
The application process involves various steps, including adoption assessments and suitability checks. Our experts can guide you through consulting the lawyers who are acting for the birth parents and moving your application towards the adoption approval stages.
After the adoption has been approved, and once the child has been living with you for at least 10 weeks, we can offer support to obtain an Adoption Order.
What happens if there is an adoption appeal?
In certain circumstances, adoption disputes may arise throughout the application stages. Whatever type of dispute you are facing, our solicitors will offer compassionate and practical support to help things get back on the right track.
Though rare, some adoptive parents face an appeal from the child’s birth parents. Should you be involved in such a situation, we can help you with practical legal support, carefully explaining any implications or next steps.
Facing appeals or disputes can be worrying, yet with the support of an adoption lawyer; you’ll have everything you need to remedy the issues and move forward.
What does the UK adoption process involve?
To adopt a child in the UK, potential adoptive parents must move through the following process:
- The prospective adoptive parent(s) must first find a suitable adoption agency that they are happy to work with
- Once initial contact has been made, the agency will offer more information and organise a meeting
- To progress the application, the adoption agency will request references and perform background checks
- If the agency is happy with the assessment, they will provide an adoption application form to complete
- A social worker will look over the application, make a report, and forward this to the appropriate adoption panel
- The local authorities and the adoption agency will work together to match the adoptive parent(s) with a child
- The adoptive parent(s) and the child are introduced slowly over a period of time
- Once the child has been living with the adoptive parents for at least 10 weeks, the adoptive parent(s) are eligible to apply for an Adoption Order
- The Adoption Order is granted, which legally finalises the adoption, removing ties with the birth parents, transferring legal parenthood status to the adoptive parent
Our team of solicitors at Susan Howarth & Co have experience across all areas of children's law, including experience across a wide range of adoption cases. Our adoption solicitors will guide you through the steps, ensuring a stress-free process where you are always kept well-informed.
Who is eligible to adopt a child?
You can adopt a child if you are over 21 years old and residing in the UK. Adoptive parents can be in a civil partnership, married or single.
While many people are eligible to adopt a child, some exceptions exist. For example, you will not be able to adopt a child if you or someone in your household has a criminal conviction or some type of caution for an offence against a vulnerable person or a child.
Which factors are considered when granting an adoption order?
After an adoptive child has lived with their new adoptive parents for 10 weeks, the parents will be permitted to apply for an Adoption Order. The Court considers various factors when deciding whether to grant the order or not, for example:
- The Court will check if the child’s birth parents have consented to the Adoption Order
- They may assess whether it’s better for the child’s welfare that their birth parents do not have parental responsibility
- They will ensure that the child has, in fact lived with the potential adoptive parents for ten weeks
If you have concerns about obtaining an Adoption Order, our child law solicitors in Northwich and Cheshire can provide expert advice.
Why Choose Susan Howarth & Co for adoption law advice?
We believe everyone has the right to access justice and expert legal advice. This can make navigating even the most complicated family law situations much simpler and less stressful. We are very proud of our family law department and the fantastic reputation our high-calibre solicitors have built in the community.
At Susan Howarth & Co, we approach every case with professionalism and commitment. No two client’s needs are the same, which is why we always take the time to listen to you and understand your individual requirements.
Our expertise is independently recognised, including:
- Ranked as a Band 2 legal practice in the Chambers & Partners UK legal guide
- Directors Susan Howarth and Victoria Poole are both also ranked as ‘Notable Practitioners’ by Chambers & Partners UK
- Ranked as a Band 3 Leading Family Law Firm in The Legal 500 directory
- Susan Howarth has been ranked as a ‘Leading Individual’ for 4 consecutive years by the Legal 500 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame 2023 as one of seven individuals for Family Law (North West)
- Accreditation by the Law Society for Family Law and Children Law
- Many of our team are members of Resolution, the leading professional network for family lawyers
- Year on year we gain Lexcel accreditation for excellence in practice management
- We are winners of the Best Family and Childcare Law Firm (North West) 2023 and 2022 in the AI Legal Awards
- We have been finalists of the Lexis Nexis Family Law Firm of the Year (North) for 2 consecutive years
A key benefit we can offer is our in-house family mediation service. We have a specialist Resolution-trained Family Mediator who is also a Resolution-accredited Specialist in Domestic Violence and Children Law (private) and an FMC-accredited Family Mediator (all issues).
Contact our adoption solicitors in Northwich, Cheshire
If you’d like to discuss child adoption in the UK, give our experts a call on 01606 48777 or email info@susanhowarthsolicitors.co.uk