Hi Can Anyone Help Or Offer Some Advice Here

[wolfbaine]

I'm looking for advice or information on adoption
My wife has residence of her granddaughter . Who has been with her for 12 years she's now 13 . Her mother has had no contact with her in over six years has no say in any part of her upbringing and essentially washed her hands of her. Sorry if that sounds harsh.
I want to know what the process would be for me and my wife to officially adopt her .
Do we need daughters permission is courts involved social services .where the hell do we go to start all this ???
Is it a complex process???
Can someone please offer any help

[FredPuli43]

Both parents must give their consent unless they can't be found, or they are under a mental disabiity and are therefore incapable of giving consent, or the child would be in danger. So the short answer is generally yes, the mother must give consent

[Peter Pedant]

One of my colleagues did this a year or so ago (here)
so it is definitely do-able

S/o will give you chapter and verse - it sounds as tho the social is not involved and I would have thought that is step one.

In English law you can't adopt over 16y so I am advising without irony that you have to get on with it (!)

Oh, and there may be a law change recently converting grandparent powers (legal terminology) into duties - or rights. [sorry coffee not hit the brain yet this am)

We did this in our family BUT it was South Africa 1935 under Roman Dutch law and and and SA was the first juridiction to convert grandparent power to look after orphans into a duty - 1927 I think. The idea was social engineering I think and to empty the orphanages and children's homes and fill the grandparents' homes. I recollect thinking 'p-ding!' when the UK followed ninety years later. My father had a catch-phrase - everyone thinks SA is a third world country...... [ first chair of chemical engineering, first chair in Biochemisty, first consentratiekampe and so on ]

[Peter Pedant]

.

I exist in an inner city at a much lower level of existence than Fred
and think this issue is commonplace and you should still start at step one and the social....

[Kassee]

Why dont you apply for a "special guardianship order". It is practically the same as adoption, lasts till child is 18. And is much easier to achieve. You are her grandmother anyway, so why does adoption matter that much to you.

You do not need parental consent for an adoption. But you do need a solicitor. Your child is old enough to state her own views on your adoption, and if birth mother hadnt been in contact for six years, that will all count when going for an adoption order. Also I am pretty sure you can adopt a child up to the age of 19.

[bednobs]

i would agree - adopting your own grandchild is fraught with difficulty. you become their mum and dad. Any other children your daughter has are no longer their sister/brother but their neice/nephew. It's rather confusing