Foster or adopt a child
Throughout the UK there is a national shortage of over 10,000 foster carers, and 4,000 children are waiting to be adopted.
You can make a huge difference to a child's life by fostering or adopting with Barnardo’s.
Find out more about:
Alternatively, use our information request form to request an information pack from your local service.
Ann and Colin have adopted five children with Barnardo's
Meet Ann and Colin, who have adopted five children through Barnardo’s over the past 20 years, and are now fostering a little boy.
Foster a child
Fostering turns children's lives around and can be hugely rewarding for the carers too.
It is about looking after other people’s children when they are unable to remain with their own families. This can be for a few days, weeks, months or even years.
Find out more about fostering >>
Adopt a child
Adoption is a way of providing a new family for a child when living with their own family is not possible. It is the assumption of full legal and parental responsibility for a child.
Find out more about adoption >>
Short break care for disabled children
Short break carers provide opportunities for disabled children and young people to have regular short stays away from home. This can have a massive impact on the children’s lives and gives their families a well deserved break too.
Find out more about short break care >>
Special Guardianship
Special Guardianship is a legal option whch came into force on 30 December 2005. It is intended to provide permanence for children for whom adoption is not appropriate.
Find out about Special Guardianship >>
Take our fostering and adoption quiz
How much do you already know about fostering, adoption and short break care? Take our fostering and adoption quiz!
Fostering and adoption blog
Find out what it’s like to be a foster carer or adoptive parent.