Almost 20 per cent of people believe potential adopters over the age of 40 would be ruled out, according to new research from the British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF).
Other findings from the research, carried out in the run-up to National Adoption Week, include:
*18 per cent thought being single would bar someone from adopting.
*24 per cent thought having a low household income make you ineligible.
*19 per cent thought being lesbian, gay or bisexual would make you unable to adopt.
*39 per cent thought being unemployed would you rule you out, and a decisive 69 per cent thought if you had a criminal conviction you would not be considered either.
In a statement, BAAF said:
“In fact, you don’t have to be married or in a civil partnership to adopt. Every year many single people and unmarried couples successfully adopt children. You must be over 21 to apply to adopt a child – but there is no upper age limit.”
The statement continued:
“A prospective adopter’s health, financial circumstances and employment status will always be explored as part of an adoption assessment but health conditions, low income or being unemployed will not in themselves automatically exclude a person from being approved to adopt. A criminal record will also need to be considered as part of the assessment process but with the exception of certain specified offences will not necessarily rule someone out.”
