Is private adoption possible in the UK?

[OvaryActing]

I know in the US it's possible to choose adoptive parents, is it possible in this country too?

I don't want to go into too many personal details but if a newborn baby needed 'new' parents, would I be able to have any say in where baby was placed, or even find the parents myself?

Hi OvaryActing,
Just wanted to add my experience as a birth parent. I decided to give my child up for adoption while I was still pregnant. I was able to be very specific about the sort of family I wanted for my baby. I was given brief details of three couples that matched my "wish list" and I was able to choose the final couple. I wanted my baby to be placed with them immediately but this was not possible. She had to be born to see if there were any health issues or disabilities that would deem the match inappropriate. Her adoptive parents were not told about her until she was born. She was in foster care for 6 weeks before going to her new family. I was allowed as much contact as was practical while she was fostered. I have had letters and photos every 6 months since her adoption and started seeing her in person when she was 11 (4 years ago). I have since worked as a Children and Family social worker assessing birth parents and placing children for adoption. I have had the most positive adoption experience than anyone else I have known about. Even so giving my child up for adoption has been the most painfully heavy burden for me and my mother, so even if it may be the best choice, it is a hard route to take. Get as much support as you can and best of luck to you all.

thank you for posting audley, its always good to hear from a birth parent. I can;t imagine how difficult it is to make the decision to place your child for adoption and am grateful that I have never been faced with that decision myself.

What a benefit to your child that she has been able to maintain some contact - however painful it must be for you, it must be of benefit to her as you sound so nice!

I would give a great deal to be able to give DS any information about his birth paretns but sadly its not to be.

Is it possible for close family i.e. grandparents or aunts/uncles etc who have a close relationship with a child, adopt or foster the child if social services were to deem the parents as incapable of caring for the child? if so would the parents consent be needed for this?
To sum this up... I have concerns about a child within my family, who is currently being monitored by the authorities, but want to know that I can care for him if he is removed from the parents care!!

Please help!!!

Yes it can be possible. You could be assessed as a 'friends and family' foster carer, the process is not quite as in depth as for people who become foster carers the conventional way.

There are 'residence orders' which are a more long term way, you get parental responsibility for the child and it is more like adoption.

I think parents get a say in this, but often prefer this rather than their child going to Foster carers they don't know. Social workers usually look for family members as an alternative to finding finding Foster carers so may well ask you, or you could mention this if it did come to it - though they tend to do everything they can to keep children with their birth parents first.