Adopting a child in Germany

Adoption agencies are either state-run or independent. Independent placement agencies must be state-approved.

• State-run placement agencies include the state youth welfare offices - the LVR State Youth Welfare Office (responsible for the Rhineland) and the LWL State Youth Welfare Office (responsible for Westphalia-Lippe). The state placement offices also include the local youth welfare offices.
• Free placement offices are mostly run by Catholic or Protestant organizations.

On the page Adoption advice centers you will find further information and contact details.

On the page Process of an adoption procedure you will find detailed information on the procedure.

No. You have no legal right to this. The welfare of the child is the focus of an adoption. People interested in adoption must meet certain conditions for adoption.

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Placement for adoption can take varying amounts of time.

On average, the suitability test for applicants takes around nine months. The waiting time until a child is suggested to you varies between a few weeks and sometimes several years.

If you decide in favor of the child, the child will live with your family in "adoptive care" for at least a year. During this time, the application for adoption is usually submitted to the family court.

Further information can be found on the page Adoption procedure.

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There are various ways in which contact between the child, their adoptive family and the birth parents can take place:

• Indirect exchange, for example with letters or photos to the adoption agency, which then forwards them.
• Personal meetings with or without the agency's accompaniment. All contact is voluntary for both parties.
• There is no contact.

The adoption agency talks to the adoptive family and the birth parents at an early stage about wishes, ideas and possibilities for contact. It also explains the advantages and disadvantages of the individual options - for the adoptive parents, the birth parents and, above all, for the child. The placement agency records the agreement reached on contact between the adoptive family and the birth parents in writing. This agreement is voluntary and serves the purpose of clarity. It cannot be enforced later against the will of one of the parties involved.

The adoption agency can help with questions or uncertainties - even after the adoption, for example if something needs to change with regard to contact.

Even without an agreement on contact, birth parents can receive general information about the child from the adoption agency. However, the prerequisite for this is that the adoptive parents have provided this information voluntarily and also agree to this information being passed on to the birth parents. The adoption agency discusses with the adoptive parents what information is suitable to give the birth parents an impression of the child's development.