Adoption is a way of providing the security, love and permanence of a new family for children who can no longer be cared for by their birth families.
It's a legal procedure in which all parental rights and responsibilities are transferred to the adoptive parents. They will take on your surname and become a legal member of your family for life, just like a biological child.
If you're hoping to adopt a younger child, please be aware that there are very few healthy babies placed for adoption, so we would urge you to consider adopting a child up to four years of age.
Fostering for adoption and Concurrent Planning provide alternative ways of welcoming a younger child into your life with the possibility of adopting him or her at a later stage.