Adoption/residency advice

[MrsDeterminedandSpecialMum]

My DH wants to adopt my DD. how do we go about this knowing we have her Bio fathers consent. Bio father has never met DD.

If adoption is a long process, how do we go about getting him legal parental responsibility
for her?

TIA

[MrsDeterminedandSpecialMum]

Bumping

[MrsDeterminedandSpecialMum]

Bump

[Collaborate]

You can apply for PR for your DH under the Children Act. The bio father will have to sign the parental responsibility agreement.

Adoption is a very specialised subject. Look on the law society's website

www.lawsociety.org.uk/find-a-solicitor/ and put your details in. Not all Children solcitors will be adoption experts.

[MrsDeterminedandSpecialMum]

Thanks Collaborate.

How do I start the process at court without a solicitor?

What forms do I need and can I do it without a solicitor?

Thanks x

[Collaborate]

The adoption? I'm a family solicitor and I wouldn't have the first idea where to start. Speak to the Local Authority Childrens Services?

[MrsDeterminedandSpecialMum]

I've called our local courts (Portsmouth) & they are sending out the forms for parental responsibility - it should be straight forward as we have DD bio father consent.

Adoption will be the next step and not sure how to start that process. Thanks

[Lilka]

For an adoption, you start by contacting social services at your local authority. You have to do this at least 3 months before you apply to the court for an adoption order. SS will carry out an assessment of your DH which they present to the court when you make your application. He will need a CRB check as part of that, I think you need a medical check as well, and then home interviews, which will probably include interviewing DD if she has reached school age. Once 3 months have passed and SS have their assessments underway, and contacted bio father, your DH then applies to the court for an adoption order - the court will tell you which form and they can guide you on filling it in if you need help, it can be a bit confusing (well, it confused me a bit anyway!)

They will contact the biological father, to get his consent

The the court will call a first hearing after everything is complete, and after that if everything is in order, they will set a date for finalising the adoption. After that, DD is legally DH's child and will be issued with adoption certificates showing both of you as her parents

You shouldn't need a lawyer for an adoption unless it was contested and/or a complex case. It will take some months though to complete

[MrsDeterminedandSpecialMum]

Lilka Thank you that helps us a lot.