Adopt a child in Scotland
This page tells you what to do if you want to adopt a child through an adoption agency in Scotland. There's a different process to adopt:
How to apply
You can apply to adopt a child in Scotland through an adoption agency.
Find your local council's adoption service to start your application
- Aberdeen City Council
- Aberdeenshire Council
- Angus Council
- Argyll and Bute Council
- Clackmannanshire Council
- Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
- Dumfries and Galloway Council
- Dundee City Council
- East Ayrshire Council
- East Dunbartonshire Council
- East Lothian Council
- East Renfrewshire Council
- Edinburgh Council
- Falkirk Council
- Fife Council
- Glasgow City Council
- Highland Council
- Inverclyde Council
- Midlothian Council
- Moray Council
- North Ayrshire Council
- North Lanarkshire Council
- Orkney Islands Council
- Perth and Kinross Council
- Renfrewshire Council
- Scottish Borders Council
- Shetland Islands Council
- South Ayrshire Council
- South Lanarkshire Council
- Stirling Council
- West Dunbartonshire Council
- West Lothian Council
Other adoption agencies include:
- Barnardo's
- Kibble Adoption
- Scottish Adoption and Fostering
- St. Andrew's Children's Society
- St. Margaret's Children and Family Care Society
The application process
Once you've applied, the adoption agency will check whether you're suitable to adopt a child.
It can take several months to complete the checks and get a decision.
A social worker will work with you through the application process. They will visit you at home and may meet with your friends and family members. They'll also check things like your:
- medical history
- criminal record
- finances
- home - to make sure it's safe for a child
The adoption agency will decide whether you can adopt after speaking to an adoption panel.
If you're approved to adopt
The adoption agency will try to match you with a child local to you once you're approved.
You'll be referred to Scotland's Adoption Register if your adoption agency has not matched you with a child after 3 months.
If you're referred, you can use the register to find children looking for a permanent home.
It can take a long time to match you with the right child. It can sometimes take several months or years.
Appeal a decision if you're not approved
If your application to adopt is not approved, you can:
- ask for a meeting with the adoption agency to find out why
- write a letter to the agency asking them to change their decision and explain why they should
- use the agency's complaints procedure
You can apply to another adoption agency but you must tell them about your previous application.