Adoption, fostering and surrogacy

Becoming a foster carer, adopting a child from the UK or abroad, looking after someone else's child.

Services

  • Your Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) and Leave - what you get, how to claim, maternity rights and extra help

  • Your Statutory Paternity Pay and Leave - eligibility, what you get, how to claim.

  • You can start Shared Parental Leave (SPL) and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) if you're eligible and you or your partner ends your maternity or adoption leave early - eligibility, entitlement, starting SPL and splitting blocks of leave

  • The adoption process - eligibility, assessment, adoption agencies, adoption court orders, overseas adoptions and the rights of birth parents.

  • Your Statutory Adoption Pay and Leave - what you get, how to claim and eligibility

Guidance and regulation

News and communications

Research and statistics

Policy papers and consultations

Transparency and freedom of information releases