Adoption
If you are;
- interested in adopting;
- thinking about having a child adopted; or
- an adopted person, a birth relative of an adopted person, or an adoptive parent seeking information or support;
there are a number of organisations you can contact for information and advice.
Adoption agencies provide a range of direct services. There are two types of adoption agency in Northern Ireland; your local Health and Social Care Trust or a voluntary adoption agency. Details of these organisations are outlined below:
Health and Social Care Trusts
(Contact the Trust closest to where you live)
Belfast Health HSC Trust
(Trust area includes: Belfast and part of the Borough of Castlereagh)
Family Placement Services
33 Wellington Park
Belfast
BT9 6DL
Telephone: 028 90 20 45 00
Fax: 028 90 66 40 91
Northern Health HSC Trust
(Trust area includes: Antrim, Ballycastle, Ballyclare, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Castlerock, Carrickfergus, Cloughmills, Coleraine, Cookstown, Crumlin, Cushendall, Draperstown, Garvagh, Glenarm, Kilrea, Larne, Maghera, Magherafelt, Pomeroy, Portglenone, Portrush, Portstewart, Rasharkin, Rathlin Island, Stewartstown, Whiteabbey and Whitehead)
People interested in adopting should contact one of the following teams:
Ballymena Area
Family Placement Team
Raphael House
11B Fenaghy Road
Galgorm
Ballymena
Co. Antrim
BT42 1HW
Telephone: 028 25 63 51 10
Carrickfergus Area
Family Placement Team
Ellis Street
Carrickfergus
Co. Antrim
BT38 8AZ
Telephone: 028 93 31 51 11
Coleraine Area
Family Placement Team
Riverside House
28 Portstewart Road
Coleraine
Co. Londonderry
BT52 2RN
Telephone: 028 70 35 81 58
Magherafelt Area
Family Placement Team
Sperrin House
Queen’s Avenue
Magherafelt
Co. Londonderry
BT45 6BY
Telephone: 028 79 30 17 00
For other adoption-related queries, contact the Trust’s Adoption Support Team:
This Team is based in Antrim, but provides a service across the Northern HSC Trust area from Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm.
Adoption Support Team
Northern HSC Trust
Unit 3
Springfarm Industrial Estate
Ballymena Road
Antrim
Co. Antrim
BT41 4NT
Telephone: 028 94 48 82 85
Southern Health HSC Trust
(Trust area includes: Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon, Dungannon, Newry and Mourne)
Craigavon and Banbridge Area
Family Placement Services
2 Old Lurgan Road
Portadown
Co. Armagh
BT63 5SG
Telephone:028 38 33 71 81
Dungannon and Armagh Area
Family Placement Team
The Bungalow
Drumglass Lodge
20 Coalisland Road
Dungannon
Co. Tyrone
BT71 6LA
Telephone: 028 87 75 20 33
Newry Area
Family Placement Team
Dromalane House
Dromalane Road
Newry
Co. Down
BT34 8AP
Telephone: 028 30 83 26 93
028 30 83 26 92
South Eastern HSC Trust
(Trust area includes: the Ards Peninsula, Ballygowan, Ballyhalbert, Ballynahinch, Bangor, Carryduff, Castlereagh, Castlewellan, Comber, Donaghadee, Downpatrick, Dromore, Dunmurry, Glenavy, Greyabbey, Hillsborough, Holywood, Killinchy, Lisburn, Moira, Newtownards, Newcastle, Poleglass, Portaferry and Twinbrook)
Bangor Area
Adoption Team
Balloo Units 57&58
4 Balloo Drive
Bangor
Co. Down
BT19 7QU
Telephone: 028 91 27 06 72
Downpatrick Area
Children and Disability Services
Ward 25
Downshire Hospital
Ardglass Road
Downpatrick
Co. Down
BT30 6RA
Telephone: 028 44 61 33 11
Lisburn Area
Adoption Services
Warren Children’s Centre
61 Woodland Park
Lisburn
Co. Down
BT28 1LQ
Telephone: 028 92 60 75 28
Western HSC Trust
(Trust area includes: Derry, Limavady, Strabane, Omagh and Enniskillen)
Fermanagh and Tyrone Area
Adoption and Permanency
Community Services Department
Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital
Omagh
Co. Tyrone
BT79 ONS
Telephone: 028 82 83 51 14
Londonderry Area
ServicesAdoption Team
Rossdowney House
Glendermott Road
Waterside
Derry
Co. Londonderry
BT47 6BG
Telephone: 028 71 31 42 35
Voluntary Adoption Agencies
(The following three organisations operate across Northern Ireland and are inspected and approved by the Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS))
Adoption Routes
Adoption Routes provides a range of services including training and assessment of prospective adopters, counselling of women with an unplanned pregnancy, placing children for adoption, fertility counselling, adoption support to families with an adopted child, post adoption services to adult adoptees, birth parents and birth relatives and independent adoption counselling to birth parents of children being placed for adoption.
Adoption Routes
Unit 2
Pilot’s View
Heron Road
Belfast
BT3 9LE
Telephone: 028 90 73 60 80
Email: info@adoptionroutes.co.uk
Family Care Society
Family Care Society provides a range of services including training and assessment of prospective adopters, counselling of women with an unplanned pregnancy, placing children for adoption, adoption support to families with an adopted child, post adoption services to adult adoptees, birth parents and birth relatives and independent adoption counselling to birth parents of children being placed for adoption.
Family Care Society (Belfast Office)
511 Ormeau Road
Belfast
BT7 3GS
Telephone: 028 90 69 11 33
Fax: 028 90 64 98 49
Family Care Society (Derry Office)
1A Miller Street
Derry
Co. Londonderry
BT48 6SU
Telephone: 028 71 36 85 92
Fax: 028 71 37 26 11
The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) Forces Help
This organisation provides services to Service and ex-Service men, women and their families who are thinking about adopting a child, placing a child for adoption or who are themselves adopted and are looking for help or advice.
SSAFA Adoption Service
19 Queen Elizabeth Street
London
SE1 2LP
Telephone: 020 74 63 93 26
Fax: 020 74 03 88 15
Email: adoptadmin@ssafa.org.uk
Other sources of advice and information on adoption
Advice, information and support are also available from the following regional organisations:
Adopt Ltd
Adopt Ltd is an independent Northern Ireland charity providing support for adults who have experience of adoption.
Adopt Ltd
7 University Street
Belfast
BT7 1FY
Telephone: 028 90 31 95 00
Email: adoptni@aol.com
Web: www.adoptni.org.uk
Adoption UK
Adoption UK is a national self-help charity offering support before, during and after adoption. It provides independent support, information and advice on good practice to all concerned with adoption. In particular, it offers experience from adoptive families to prospective and established adopters and to all those who work with them.
Adoption UK (Northern Ireland)
545 Antrim Road
Belfast
BT15 3BU
Northern Ireland Daytime Helpline (Monday – Friday 10am – 4pm)
Telephone: 028 90 77 52 11
Northern Ireland Evening Helpline (Monday – Thursday 8pm – 10pm)
Telephone: 0844 848 7900
Email: admin@adoptionuk.org.uk
Web: www.adoptionuk.org
British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) Northern Ireland
BAAF is a UK wide membership organisation for all those concerned with adoption, fostering and child care issues. BAAF is a major publisher and training provider and a key source of information and advice for professionals, carers and the public.
BAAF Northern Ireland
Botanic House
1-5 Botanic Avenue
Belfast
BT7 1JG
Telephone: 028 90 31 54 94
Fax: 028 90 31 45 16
Email: northernireland@baaf.org.uk
Web: www.baaf.org.uk
