Do you get a monthly check when you adopt a child?

In this guide, we will answer the following question: Do you get a monthly check when you adopt a child? We will talk about the financial benefits that an adoptive parent can have; about the process of adoption and its costs; but also about the duties of an adoptive parent.

Do you get a monthly check when you adopt a child?

As an adoptive parent, you can receive a check each month or week that should cover the costs associated with raising a child. The amount of money and the frequency with which they are paid, are decided during the adoption process. 

According to the Adoption Support Services (Local Authorities) Regulations 2005, this procedure is in place to prevent people’s reluctance to adopt children for fear that they will not be able to support them financially, but also to prevent the abandonment and unhappiness of children after a certain period in the new family. 

As not everyone can adopt, granting this monthly or weekly check is means-tested. This means that it will be considered whether or not the family should receive financial support in raising the child, and the eligibility criteria may change in the future.

More financial help for adopters

Becoming adoptive parents is the dream of those who for one reason or another could not have children of their own, or they had them, but they lost them, and because of their age or medical conditions they are unable to conceive again.

Adoptive parents can be considered happy people endowed with a very great gift that life, or, in this case, their country and community, offers them. They should also know that as a highly valued prize, the child in question must be loved, cared for and protected as if it were biologically theirs.

To encourage adoption and to help adoptive parents, in the vast majority of countries, they can benefit from some financial support from the state. Some examples below:

• Adoption pay and leave  – If you are an adoptive parent you can apply for Statutory Adoption Leave for up to 52 weeks. In the UK, the first 6 weeks you will be paid an amount equal to 90% of your income, and the remaining weeks are paid at £145.18 a week or 90% of your gross average weekly earnings (whichever is lower).

• Adoption Allowance – This is paid either monthly or weekly. The amount is decided before the adoption process is finished and it is means-tested. 
• ‘Settling-in grant’ for adopters – You social worker can help you get a grant for furnishing your future child’s bedroom, for example. 
• Child Benefit and tax credits – This included a Guardian allowance or support if you leave the UK or if you move to the UK, and other. Ask your social worker about these benefits or visit the Government official website for more information. 
• Disability Living Allowance for children – This benefit is not means-tested and it is offered to families who need to give a little extra support to their adopted child in terms of walking, eating or other necessities. 
• Carer’s Allowance – This is granted to parents to cannot take a job because they have to care for their adopted child’s physical and/or mental needs. 
• Adoption Support Fund (ASF) – This is offered as a support for both the parents and the children who find it difficult to adjust to their new reality. To access the Fund, you will need to have an assessment of your family’s adoption support needs by the local authority.

How much does it cost to adopt a child?

In the UK the adoption agencies are not allowed to charge you any fee for arranging the adoption of a child. The only costs that will have to pay are some court fees, medical and psychological assessments, police checks and a family lawyer if you think you need one. 

However, if you do decide to adopt outside of the UK, you may spend between £10,000-£12,000, depending on a series of factors. You should take into account traveling expenses, medical assessments, and even agency fees. Make sure you know the rules and the law in the country your future child may be. 

Speaking about the rest of Europe, if we talk about total figures, there is a big difference, again, whether it is a national or international adoption. Generally, worldwide if you are going to adopt a child in your own country, you will have the advantage that the procedure will be free. And, if you are going to resort to a foreign country, the total price ranges between 6,000 and 30,000 euros.

Given this fact, you may wonder why so many people turn to international adoption. Well, the main reasons are these two:

The waiting time: Adopting from your own country takes more time than international adoptions. In the UK you can wait even 9 years before becoming an adoptive parent. While abroad, it can happen in 9 months.

The minimum age of the child: adoption in the UK is highly regulated and involves a lot of bureaucracy. Among other issues, many people decide to discard it because they cannot agree to adopt children above 8 years of age. Besides, they are usually children with special needs.

Thus, international adoption stands as the most frequent option, despite its high cost.

What is the process of adopting a minor like?

Although each country has its laws, the process to adopt a child is similar in all regions and starts from the moment the future parents decide to adopt.

From here the couple seeks to support and guidance in the centres for the adoption of minors in their locality or country, who will assign a social worker to assist and assist them throughout the process.

Both the man and the woman will have to fill out certain questionnaires, undergo an interview giving detailed information about their marital life, their economic position, health … Their home and life will go through a meticulous study that will reveal whether or not they are prepared to receive the child they want.

Once the family is approved, it will know the minors who are available for adoption, and if the relationship between the couple-adoption centre-social worker-child is successful, the adoption will likely take place.

You must know that becoming an adoptive parent is a long dream that can take months or years to come true, and it is loaded with not a few disappointments and despair.

The child that the couple wants does not always become the child that they ultimately adopt, so whoever decides to adopt must start from the fact that once the journey has begun, it can take different directions.

So, anyone who wants to take this step must be more than sure of its firmness and its value; be strong and fervently desire to become a parent to a child. Because regretting having adopted, not paying due attention to the child who has been received at home, or not giving him the love that he so badly needs, can be fatal for that minor.

What are the duties of the adoptive parents?

The same ones that the biological parents of the children have:

1. Give them love
2. Caring for and protecting them
3. Provide for their basic needs
4. Provide them with medical and mental health care
5. Assist and guide them in everything they need
6. Enrol and educate them according to their age
7. Do not use physical or psychological violence
8. Giving them the greatest possible well-being.

Who can be an adoptive parent?

Being adoptive parents is not being the caregivers of a puppy that you have to feed, bathe once a month, and play with whenever you want. 

In this category must be those who are vigilant 24 hours a day, who love great, regardless of whether the recipient of their affection is 3 or 12 years old, is of one race or another, or has the traumas that they have.

These people must always be available to hug, kiss, protect the little person who will suddenly become the protagonist of their lives and will occupy an important role within the family.

Adoptive parents, good adoptive parents, are those who do everything to educate, advise, teach, promote the best values that the child in question will need to become successful adults in emotional matters.

They are those who, in addition to maintenance, food, walks, vaccinations and toys, is in charge of offering a share of love, well-being and happiness that supports them in their present and future.

Conclusions

In this guide, we answered the following question: Do you get a monthly check when you adopt a child? We talked about the financial benefits that an adoptive parent can have; about the process of adoption and its costs; but also about the duties of an adoptive parent.

As a summary, we remind you that monthly allowances for adoption are means-tested and decided before the adoption is closed. However, there are other benefits that your social worker can help you apply for. We hope it is not necessary to say that adopting a child should not be based on these benefits, though. 

If you have any questions or comments on the content, please let us know!

FAQ on Do you get a monthly check when you adopt a child?

References

Nhs.uk

Adoptuskids.org

adoption.org