Adopting a stepchild

You need to tell your local council if you want to adopt your spouse’s or partner’s child. This is not a service that Together4Children manages as it is managed directly by your relevant local authority.

The details for each Council in our area are:

Staffordshire

Email: [email protected]

Call: 0300 111 8007

Stoke On Trent

Email: [email protected]

Call: 01782 235020

Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin (joint adoption service)  

Email: [email protected]

Call: 01743 250138

Further information can also be found on the UK Government Website  

The adoption assessment

The process to adopt is similar to an assessment through an adoption agency. You must do this at least 3 months before applying to a court for an adoption order.

To be able to start an assessment the child must also have lived with both of you for at least 6 months.

The assessment is used to help a court decide if you can adopt the child (rather than being sent to an independent adoption panel).

The court will ask your local council to provide a report on:

• your partner
• the child
• the other birth parent

The report will be prepared by a social worker and will be used to help the court make a decision.

If granted, the adoption court order gives you parental responsibility for the child – along with your spouse or partner.

The order also takes away parental responsibility from:

• the child’s other birth parent
• anyone else who has parental responsibility for the child

An adoption order cancels any other type of court order, such as how and when the child’s birth parent can visit the child.

Please contact your local authority on the details shown for further information and guidance regarding this service.