Adoption and foster care

Sometimes a child’s biological parents are not in a position to look after the child. Children in this situation can be cared for by other families on a permanent or temporary basis. How does adoption work and who can provide advice if you would like to foster a child?

Services in Adoption and foster care

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Adopt adults
If you wish to adopt an adult, you and the person to be adopted can apply to the family court.
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Adopting a Related Child
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Adopting a Stepchild
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Adopting adults with effect of adopting minors
An adult adoption may have the effects of a minor adoption. An adult adoption with effects of a minor adoption means that family law relationships are established between the...
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Adoption Declaration of revocation of the child
If consent has been given to adoption (including stepchild adoption) for or by a child, this consent may be revoked by the child if he or she is 14 years of age or older. A revocation must be publicly notarized.
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Adoption of a child after placement by the youth welfare office
Adoption as a child (adoption) is pronounced by the family court at the request of the adopting party.
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Adoption of a foreign child - conversion of a weak into a strong adoption
A so-called weak adoption of a child made abroad can be converted into a so-called strong adoption by order of the family court.
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Adoption of a foreign child decision
You can adopt not only a German child but also a foreign one. The family court decides on this and requires a notarised application.
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Adoption of a foreign child Notarization in the birth register
If you want to have the adoption of your foreign child certified in the birth register, then contact the registry office of your place of residence.
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Adoption of a foreign child receiving accompaniment
You want to adopt a child from abroad? This process is accompanied by the Youth Welfare Office and the International Placement Office.
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Adoption of a German child Certification in the birth register
If your child was born and adopted in Germany, a notification will be sent to the registry office, which will accept the child in the birth register.
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Adoption of an international child Declaration of adoption applicants
If the adoption of a child from abroad is possible, the adoption applicants are requested by the foreign placement office to declare that they are willing to adopt this child when it enters Germany. This declaration must be notarized.
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Adoption of placement files Inspection
As an adopted person, you can inspect the files on the mediation of your adoption yourself from your 16th birthday. Unless the interests of other affected persons – such as those of your biological parents – conflict with or outweigh the insight.
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Adoption procedures and adoption placement
If you want to give your child up for adoption, the biological parents and the child must consent. In exceptional cases, the family court may replace a parent's consent to the adoption. The responsible youth welfare office must advise and instruct on the procedure.
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Applying as a foster parent, aptitude test
If the child's upbringing in their own family cannot be guaranteed to be in the child's best interests, either temporarily or permanently, the youth welfare office can place a...
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Care allowance and allowances for foster parents Grant
If the child lives in a foster family, the Youth Office must ensure the necessary maintenance of the child. The Youth Office therefore pays foster parents care allowance in the...
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Check suitability as adoptive parents for a domestic adoption
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Foster children
Foster children are children and adolescents who live for a certain or indefinite period of time in the private household of another family.
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General full-time care Receiving support for foster children
Are you a caregiver of a child in full-time care? Then you will receive professional support and advice from the foster child service.
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Leaving a child with a foster carer
Are you a foster carer and the biological parents want to take the child back into their care? Then you can apply to the family court for the child to stay with you.
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Notarizing the father's waiver of transfer of custody
Consent to the adoption of a child by the biological parents is required by law. The father may waive the application for transfer of parental authority.
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One-off benefits or subsidies for the admission of a foster child
When a foster child is admitted, one-off lump-sum allowances or subsidies are granted and transferred with the first care allowance.
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Request a certificate of sole custody
Do you have sole custody of your child and need a certificate (negative certificate)? Find out more here.
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Requesting information from the custody register
Do you need information from the custody register? Find out more here.
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Reverse adoption by children over 14 years of age.
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Support from the youth welfare office and the responsible foreign placement agency when converting a weak adoption into a strong adoption of a foreign child
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