Intercountry Adoption

Some families who come to Adoption@Heart are very clear about which country they wish to adopt from. They may have family connections overseas, are originally from that country, or might be adopting a child who is related to them who currently lives in another country. Others are less certain and seek guidance to help explore their options in another country entirely.

How can we help?

Adoption@Heart’s Intercountry Service is provided by IAC – The Centre for Adoption. IAC is the UK's only dedicated intercountry adoption charity. IAC will provide adults wishing to adopt a child resident abroad, a full service – from the point of enquiry until the child enters the UK with the adopters. It is open to all regardless of whether they are first time adopters, adopting again, or have already identified (and sometimes adopted) the child in the state of origin. All applicants benefit from the ICA’s specialist information, advice and other support services including specialist preparation offered by IAC.

When adopting from abroad, it is important to note that you must be eligible to adopt both within the UK as well as from the relevant country overseas. Sometimes, that country’s eligibility criteria might be different or more stringent than the UK’s, so the first step for potential adopters is to check their eligibility by contacting the IAC advice line. Their FAQ section may also answer some of the basic questions.

If you are interested in adopting a child from overseas, please contact the IAC either by telephone: 020 8849 2562 or email info@icacentre.org.uk. For more information, please visit their website. The team there will provide you with all the advice and guidance that you need should you decide to take the next steps in your journey to adopt a child from Overseas.