Step parent adoption and adopting from another country
Adopting from another country
We will charge for all assessments for intercountry adoption. The Home Study Report should be completed by a qualified social worker and consist of a full adoption assessment, with the additional emphasis on bringing up a child from overseas.
As part of the assessment process all prospective adopters must take part in a preparation course. This can be an intercountry adoption preparation course provided by another agency and applicants can also, if they choose, attend one of our preparation courses. Approval as prospective intercountry adopters has two elements, approval by the agency undertaking the assessment, followed by approval by the Scottish Government.
The Scottish Government also charge for processing intercountry adoption applications. The amount charged is means tested.
Step parent adoption
Notification to the Local Authority must be made in writing by a Family Law Solicitor appointed by the prospective adopter. The notification should be made to Fostering and Adoption, Room 4, Council Offices, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, IV3 5NX.
We are then responsible for allocating the case to a social worker who should complete the report within 12 weeks of the date of the notification and the report along with the petition should be lodged in court by the solicitor appointed by the family.