Adoption by Relatives
Adoption Advice to Relatives Living at Home or Abroad
When families break down and a child is taken into care, a placement with relatives may be the best solution for a child. Our lawyers specialise in providing adoption advice to relatives, including in situations where the child and relatives reside in different countries.
“Naomi is very knowledgeable on adoption and surrogacy. She is solution-focused and open to ideas.”
“Naomi Angell is the fount of all knowledge on adoption and surrogacy cases. She is a lawyer to whom judges defer.”
Placing children with relatives
Placing children permanently with relatives is generally recognised as the next best option if a child cannot be cared for by birth parents.
There are a range of possible orders that can be made, including adoption and special guardianship orders.
The need to find a permanent home for a child may arise from care proceedings or as a result of family breakdown, where the local authority may not be involved. We help our clients to weigh up what will be best for the individual child, taking into account factors such as:
- Future contact that the child will have with birth parents and siblings or
- Whether it is important for a child to retain their legal relationship with birth parents.
With our experience and expertise in International Adoption, we also advise and represent relatives offering a permanent home to a child living abroad, who might have been orphaned or abandoned or who has been gifted to them by family members in other countries. In these cases we work closely with specialist immigration and family lawyers in providing the full range of advice and representation that is needed what are often these most complex cases.
Related services:
How we can help with adoption by relatives
If you are the relative of a child whom you wish to adopt please contact either Naomi for a confidential discussion. After hearing the specifics of your case they will be able to provide you with further information and options available to you. They will also give you an indication of the process, what will be required of you and the possible time frames involved.
Contact us
To speak to a specialist adoption lawyer please:
- Call us on 020 7485 8811, or
- Fill in the online form below.
Adoption by relatives FAQs
Who can adopt a child as a relative in the UK?
You can adopt a child as a close relative if you are at least 21 years old and have cared for the child for a sufficient period. Eligible relatives include grandparents, aunts, uncles, stepparents, siblings, and half-siblings. You typically need to notify your local authority or relevant adoption agency before making an application.
Do I need consent from the child's birth parents to adopt?
Consent from both birth parents is usually required for an adoption to proceed. However, the court can override this consent if it is deemed to be in the child’s best interests, such as cases where the parents cannot be found or where the child is at risk.
We strongly recommend getting legal advice early in the adoption process. A solicitor can explain when birth parents’ consent is needed and guide you through the steps if there are complications.
What alternatives to adoption are available for relatives?
Relatives can consider legal alternatives such as Special Guardianship Orders or Child Arrangements Orders, which provide stability and legal responsibility without fully severing the child’s legal ties to their birth parents. These options can be more suitable if it’s important for the child to keep a legal connection with their birth family, or if full adoption feels too final. A family lawyer can help you decide which arrangement best meets the child’s long-term needs.
Do children remain in contact with their birth parents?
Both the birth parents and other relatives, such as siblings who live elsewhere, can apply to the court for the right to visit or stay in contact with the child being adopted. These arrangements will state who can see the child, how often, and how (e.g. face to face or through letters). However, the arrangement depends on what is best for the child and what the courts decide.
Legal advice is essential in these situations, as it helps clarify what kind of contact arrangement can be agreed upon and how to keep the child’s welfare as the top priority.
Naomi Angell has considerable strength in adoption, surrogacy and fertility issues
Naomi Angell is a renowned practitioner in the market with a wealth of experience in family cases involving immigration issues. She has a depth of knowledge in surrogacy issues and is respected for her experience handling adoption matters.
"She is responsive and very knowledgeable – she knows everything on the family law side of adoption and is also very generous with her time."
"Naomi is second to none in her knowledge of adoption and her work in surrogacy is also a strength."
"She has an encyclopaedic knowledge and an in-depth understanding of this work. She's extremely empathetic and can put herself in the client's shoes. She's also very strategic and is good at pre-empting litigation."
"Their family department is very strong, from adoption to child abduction and matrimonial finance, this is a very strong team."
"Naomi Angell is a stand out individual who is well regarded as to the go-to lawyer in her field. What Naomi doesn’t know about adoption is not worth knowing."
"She is the queen of inter-country adoption. She is experienced in the field over a long period of time. She has wonderful client skills and is committed to getting proper outcomes."
"She is an adoption superstar. She has an encyclopaedic knowledge of immigration law, and knows what's on the horizon due to her involvement in policy."
Naomi Angell – the doyenne of adoption and surrogacy family law, dedicated to her clients and hardworking.
The team has considerable strength in adoption, surrogacy and fertility matters through Naomi Angell.
"Highly recommended
Bridget and Amy-Jo were very supportive during what were very stressful proceedings. They were collaborative and I felt listened to and part of a team rather than just a client. We ended up being successful at the hearing.""She's extremely knowledgeable and highly professional."
"She is the guru when it comes to international adoption and she's an expert in her field."
Naomi Angell has a vast wealth of knowledge and experience.
"Naomi Angell is a highly esteemed practitioner who is highlighted as "a leader in the field" and "extremely knowledgeable" by interviewees. She is particularly recognised for her experience in complex adoption disputes."
Bridget Thompson is a public law specialist noted for her extensive practice in matters involving alternative families and adoption. An interviewee observes: "She's a fighter, she's clever, and she understands all aspects of a case."
"Naomi Angell is a leading name in international adoption."
"Recognised for its expertise in both domestic and international adoption, as well as assisted conception."
"Naomi Angell is a leading figure in domestic and inter-country adoptions, and also has expert knowledge of related fertility and surrogacy issues."
"Naomi Angell is phenomenal. She's done it for so long and knows so much that she's a fount of knowledge. If Naomi doesn't know something, it isn't worth knowing."
Naomi Angell is the doyenne of inter-country adoption and the font of all knowledge in this area.
Highly respected for her [Naomi Angell] focused on cross-border children work, including surrogacy matters.
Naomi Angell advises on international adoptions and complex surrogacy matters. She is commended for her broad, in-depth experience."
Naomi Angell is an expert in adoption issues.
Naomi Angell leads the market in cross-border children law matters. Sources confirm that she is "at the cutting edge of changing law and policy" when it comes to international adoption
Naomi Angell is described as hugely experienced, calm and a good listener.
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