Understanding Stage One of the Adoption Process: Your First Steps Toward Building a Family
Beginning the adoption process is a moment filled with hope, anticipation, and a natural sense of uncertainty. For many prospective adopters, the journey officially begins with Stage One. This is a structured but supportive period designed to help you prepare, reflect, and gather the essential information needed for the road ahead. Whether you are just starting to explore adoption or you have already submitted your Registration of Interest, understanding what Stage One involves can make the experience feel far more manageable.
Stage One usually lasts around two months and focuses on two main areas. The first is training. The second is completing the checks that are required by law. You can think of this stage as the foundation of your adoption journey. It is a time to learn, to reflect, and to begin building a relationship with the team that will support you throughout the process.
A Warm Welcome and What to Expect
Once your Registration of Interest has been accepted, you officially enter Stage One. Many adopters describe this moment as a mixture of excitement and nerves. That is completely normal. At this stage, agencies such as St David’s Adoption Service place a strong emphasis on clarity, reassurance, and openness. Their open-door approach means you are encouraged to ask questions, seek clarification, and share any concerns you may have.
Stage One is not about testing you. It is about helping you understand adoption, preparing you for the emotional and practical realities, and ensuring that the necessary checks are completed safely and responsibly.
The Checks and Why They Matter
A significant part of Stage One involves gathering references and completing statutory checks. These checks are required by law and help ensure that adoption assessments are thorough, fair, and centred on the needs of children.
Some of the key checks include:
- DBS checks for all applicants
• Medical assessments carried out by your GP
• Local authority checks for every area you have lived in since the age of eighteen
• Personal references, including ex-partner or adult child references where relevant
• Employment or voluntary work references, especially if you have worked with children or vulnerable adults
• Overseas criminal checks if you have lived abroad for more than six months
Although this list can feel overwhelming at first, your social worker and the administrative team guide you through each step. Some checks are completed automatically by the agency. Others, such as arranging your medical or overseas checks, are tasks you will need to begin yourself.
These checks are not about perfection. They are about building a full and honest picture of your life so that the assessment can be completed safely and responsibly.
Training and Preparing You for Adoption
Alongside the checks, Stage One includes Adoption Preparation Training. This is delivered over three days. The training is designed to give you a realistic and compassionate understanding of adoption and the needs of children who are waiting for families.
Topics often include:
- What adoption is and how the process works
• Why children need adoption
• The impact of early experiences, trauma, and loss
• How adoptive parenting differs from parenting a birth child
• Contact with birth families
• Building a secure base and understanding therapeutic parenting approaches
Many adopters describe this training as emotional, eye-opening, and incredibly valuable. It is also a chance to meet other prospective adopters, share experiences, and begin forming your support network.
To support the training, St David’s also provides webinars on subjects such as PACE, child development, adopting siblings, and guidance for family and friends who will be part of your support system.
Your Social Worker and the Start of a Key Relationship
During Stage One, you will be allocated a social worker who will guide you through the entire process. This relationship is central to your adoption journey. Your social worker will get to know you, answer your questions, and help you prepare for Stage Two, where the full assessment begins.
Whether your social worker is a permanent member of staff or an independent social worker, they are fully trained, experienced, and supported by the agency.
Looking Ahead
As Stage One draws to a close, you will meet with your social worker and their manager to review your progress, discuss any outstanding checks, and decide whether you are ready to move into Stage Two. You can choose to pause at this point if you need more time.
A Beginning Filled with Possibility
For many adopters, Stage One becomes a surprisingly positive and reflective experience. It is a chance to learn, to ask questions, and to begin imagining the family you hope to build. Most importantly, it is the first step toward providing a loving and secure home for a child who needs one.
