Adopting a child known to you

Before applying to the court to adopt a child known to you, you must make your intention to adopt known to your local authority. Your local authority will provide you with a report, prepared by a social worker and will be used to help the court decide whether the application is in the child’s best interests. You may want to get legal advice.

If you are the child's step parent or a relative the child must be at least 19 weeks old and have lived with you for 13 weeks before you can petition to adopt them.  If you are not a relative of the child, the child must have lived with you for 12 months before you can petition to adopt them.  

If you live in Edinburgh Local Authority, you or your solicitor must email your intention to adopt the child to cf.scyp.centralservices@edinburgh.gov.uk

Please include

• The adopter’s full name and date of birth
• The child’s full name and date of birth
• The child’s parent(s), name and date of birth and address and phone number.
• Your address and phone number

When your information has been received you will be sent an

• acknowledgement confirming the official date of notification of intention to adopt
• application form and consent forms to complete and return
• information leaflet on stepchildren and adoption
• link to the disclosure check process and guidance.

Once we have received your completed application and consent forms, you will be asked to complete a GP medical record check, return an Enhanced Disclosure Application to us and to identify two personal references. We will complete the Local Authority checks and arrange for your Disclosure Application to be countersigned and sent to Disclosure Scotland.

When all the paperwork is complete, a social worker will contact you.

If you would like to discuss further, please contact the Adoption Team on 0131 200 4200 or Adoption@edinburgh.gov.uk