About Us

Adoption UK was established in 1971 and is the only national self-help charity run by and for adoptive parents and foster carers, offering support before, during and after adoption. Whether you are considering adoption, going through the process or established as an adoptive family, Adoption UK will support and encourage you.

Mission Statement

Adoption UK helps to make adoptions work and promotes loving and supportive relationships between children and their adoptive families. It provides independent support, information and advice on good practice to all concerned with adoption. In particular, it offers a wealth of relevant experience from generations of adoptive families to prospective and established adopters and to all those who work with them.“

I am SO impressed by your work and your whole program! What a difference you make for so many children!” – Nancy Thomas, Therapeutic Parenting Specialist

Adoption UK is a charity registered in England and Wales, and Scotland. It is also registered as an Adoption Support Agency in England, required to comply with government regulations and National Minimum Standards laid down by Ofsted, and is subject to inspection at least once every three years.

Our membership represents a diverse range of adoptive parents and families, including couples, single parents, BME families, lesbian and gay adopters and families with disabilities.

Support services for Adoption UK members

Becoming a member of Adoption UK provides access to a whole range of support services including our helpline, local support groups, and magazines, discounts on training courses and publications, a lending library and limited legal advice.

Ofsted surveys

As a registered Adoption Support Agency, we have been asked by Ofsted to make the following surveys available to all our users in order for them to give feedback on our services:

Click here to find out more about the Ofsted surveys.

The Online Community

Adoption UK’s Online Community was launched in 2003. It won the Charity Website of the Year Award the following year and was short-listed for the Best Use of Technology Award in 2007. It provides information and support to a large community of adopters, prospective adopters and long term foster carers, and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Registered Charity Number 326654 (England and Wales) and SC037892 (Scotland)

Registered Adoption Support Agency