Despite all the efforts made by social workers, some children are unable to live with their birth families and need to be cared for by another family on a permanent basis.

Sometimes this is with the agreement of their birth parents and sometimes not. Ideally for children aged up to 10 years of age this is likely to mean adoption.

We are looking for families who are prepared to become a child’s full legal and emotional parents for the rest of their lives.

Adoptions of children under the age of two years, in the west of Scotland, are arranged centrally by the Baby Adoption Service to allow the best possibilities of matching babies and couples. If you are interested in this age range you should contact Families For Children at Centenary House, 100 Morrison Street, Glasgow or telephone 0141 420 5500.

If your enquiry is about adopting older children (two years and over), further information can be obtained by completing the form enclosed with this pack and a social worker will contact you to discuss your enquiry further.

Any child placed for adoption may well have suffered considerable neglect and abuse, as well as separations from one or more carers. The older the child, the more likely this is to have happened.

The children in these circumstances are likely to demonstrate their pain through difficult behaviour, distress and anger, therefore caring for them can be demanding. Progress can be slow at times, but there is the satisfaction of giving a child a secure home and helping them develop into adulthood as part of a family.

Many children who are adopted will continue to have some form of contact with their birth families, usually by exchanging photographs and information. Once or twice a year a few will continue to have face to face contact with birth relatives if this is felt to be in their best interests.

For some children who require permanent placements, adoption is not always the best option and they are best placed with permanent foster carers.

This is likely to be the case with older children who will have difficulties in making significant attachments to a new family, partly because of their relationships with birth family members. Sharing parental responsibilities between the department and the foster carer sometimes leads to the most successful placements for these children.

Support for adoption

When a child is placed in your care, they will continue to have their own social worker until an adoption order is granted and for longer if you request continued support.

Adoption allowances will be paid for some children but these will be for older children with particular difficulties or sibling groups.

You will receive support from your own link worker who is there to help you with the practical and emotional tasks of caring. Voluntary groups such as Adoption UK also offer individual and groupwork support to adoptive parents.

People who can apply

You will need to be over 21 years of age and if a couple wish to adopt they need to be married. A single person can apply. We are interested in people from all backgrounds. You don’t have to be married or employed to apply, but you do need to have a commitment to children, and the patience and ability to work through a child’s difficulties over a prolonged period of time.

All applicants will be expected to undergo a full assessment before they are considered for approval as prospective adoptive parents for East Renfrewshire Council.

The next steps

For children aged 0-2, please contact Families for Children, Centenary House, 100 Morrison Street, Glasgow. Telephone 0141 420 5500.

Further information can be found on the following websites: