Adoption in your business - Employer toolkit

Adoption is a significant, life-changing decision and one of the biggest that anyone can make. Going through the adoption process requires commitment, time and focus, and most importantly support from family, friends, and employers.

 

What makes a business adoption friendly?

 

There are lots of ways to support adoption in your business, it doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming. Here are some examples of best practice and if you are doing some or all of these, then we would consider you to be an adoption friendly business.

 

- Equal parenting policies that clearly outline support to adoptive parents and those going through the adoption process

- An adoption policy that includes time off for training, assessment, panels, and introductions

- An adoption policy that includes support for parents when the adoption doesn't work out which is similar to support provided to those experiencing miscarriage

- An adoption policy that allows for additional flexibility post placement and acknowledges that parenting a child who has had a difficult start in life may be more demanding for parents and therefore more time may be needed.

 

Download the toolkit

 

To help businesses offer the right support to their employees, we’ve developed an employer toolkit - a free guide for employers to help them support prospective and approved adopters, inside and outside of their business. The toolkit offers guidance and support, and includes information on the following:

 

- Supporting adoption in your workplace

- Parental leave for adopters

- Showing your adoption support online

- Supporting new parents

- Discussing adoption with your employees

 

Join us in making sure adoptive parenting is treated fairly in the workplace. For further advice on how to improve your adoption policies and practices, download the Adoption in Your Business toolkit here.