Organization : Adoption Authority of Ireland
Type of Facility : Domestic Adoption Application
Country: Ireland
Website : https://www.aai.gov.ie/en/
Domestic Adoption Application :
Domestic adoption refers to the situation where a child who is resident in Ireland is adopted by a couple also resident in Ireland.
Related :Department of Children & Youth Affairs Child Adoption Procedure Ireland : www.statusin.org/28502.html
The nature and effect of an Irish adoption order is that the child becomes the child of the adopters as if born to them in marriage with all the rights and duties of parents and children in relation to each other. There are four different types of domestic adoption – Stepfamily, Extended family/Relative adoption, Domestic Infant adoption, Long term foster care to adoption
Stepfamily:
‘Stepfamily’ in the context of stepfamily adoption generally refers to families formed when the birth mother of a child marries a man who is not the birth father of that child, and the child is living with this married couple, or in a small number of cases where the child is living with the birth father who wishes to adopt the child with his wife. Applications are made in these cases so that the birth parent’s spouse can establish legal rights in respect of the child within the family unit.
This also ensures the child’s inheritance rights within the family. The making of an adoption order in theses cases involves the birth parent giving up sole legal rights in respect of the child and, with his or her spouse, taking on joint legal rights, responsibilities and guardianship in respect of the child.
Extended family/Relative adoption:
Extended family/Relative adoption specifically refers to a member of the child’s extended family who, alone or together with a spouse, wants to adopt the child; the child is living with the prospective adopter(s) and the child has been placed directly with this relative by the birth mother or indirectly through the State child care system.
Adoption Act 2010 Part 1 Section 3 (10) outlines the categories of extended family members eligible to adopt in these situations. Relatives are eligible through both birth parents’ blood lines.
”Relative”, in relation to a child, means a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt of the child, whether of the whole blood, of the half blood or by affinity and includes the spouse of any such person, relationship to the child being traced through the mother or the father”.
Domestic Infant adoption:
Domestic infant adoption is essentially the process whereby a child is placed with an alternative set of parents. All legal rights, responsibilities and duties are transferred to the new parents and the birth parents relinquish all their legal rights and duties in relation to the child. A child cannot be placed for adoption with a couple without the prior approval of the Adoption Authority. A child may only be placed by the Child and Family Agency or accredited body. Only couples with valid Declarations of Eligibility and Suitability may be considered for the placement of the child.
Long term foster care to adoption:
This type of adoption occurs where a child has been placed with a couple initially in a foster care situation because the birth mother/parents are unsure of what decision they wish to make about caring for the child themselves or allowing the child to be adopted. In other circumstances the child may have been placed with foster parents on foot of the Child and Family Agency having obtained a Care Order for the child due to the circumstances around the birth parents/family.
After a period of time it becomes clear through the Child Care Review/Plan that it will not be possible for the child to be returned to his/her birth parents/family and that the child’s best interests would be served by being adopted.
How do I make an application for adoption?
You should approach the regional adoption service in your local HSE area. Contact details can be found at www.hse.ie/go/adoption
Step One – Assessment for a Declaration of Eligibility and Suitability :
The assessment for adoption is carried out by social workers from the Child and Family Agency or accredited body. In the first instance the HSE or accredited body must establish the eligibility of applicants to adopt. The next part of the assessment is to establish their suitability to be adoptive parents. When the assessment has been completed a report is drawn up by the assessing social worker and a recommendation is made about the applicants’ eligibility and suitability. This report is forwarded to a Local Adoption Committee who considers the report and also makes a recommendation.
The application form, reports and recommendations are submitted to the Adoption Authority by the Child and Family Agency or accredited body. These documents are reviewed and where recommendations are positive a Declaration of Eligibility and Suitability is granted by the Adoption Authority.
Step Two – Adoption Application:
The period of time between the granting of the Declaration of Eligibility and Suitability to the making of an adoption order differs from one case to another depending on the type of adoption application being made and the particular circumstances of the applicants and the child. Before making the adoption order, the Adoption Authority must be satisfied about a number of legal requirements most importantly the eligibility of the child to be adopted.