Parenting whether you are adopting or have birth children, is both physically and emotionally demanding. Your general health or any disability you may have must still enable you to meet the challenges our children may bring. Your health will be assessed on this basis.
We have assessed many adopters with different disabilities, including hidden disabilities and health conditions. If you have a pre-existing health condition that you are worried might be a barrier to adoption, you can discuss confidentially with one of our Social Workers. In some cases we may request a medical to be undertaken as early as possible in Stage 1 in order to be clear about any limitations that might come about as a result of the condition.
Fertility Treatment
You can be considered for adoption after having fertility treatment. However, we do recommend a time gap of at least 6 months after treatment is finished before you apply to adopt. You are likely to have been through an emotional experience and you need time to adjust and to consider the implications of adoption carefully.
Cancer Treatment
Going through cancer is a difficult journey and we would suggest that the best thing you can do is focus on completing your treatments before considering starting your adoption journey.
When applying to adopt we would consider the type of cancer you have had and how long it has been since any treatment. It would be important to discuss with the Medical Advisor as soon as possible any issues around remission or the cancer potentially returning, and the Medical Advisor in turn may wish to discuss in more detail with specialists involved.