Local
For South Africans interested in growing their family by adoption, you need to contract a social worker that is accredited to screen for adoption.
The screening involves counselling sessions, a home visit and confirmation that you have not been convicted of a criminal offence. They will also check that you are healthy and have sufficient funds and support to add a child to your life. For further details and resources these are a great place to start:
Becoming A Mom – How To Adopt in South Africa
The Definitive Guide to Adoption in SA
To adopt a child specifically from TLC we work with adoption social workers at Impilo or occasionally through the Sedibeng Department of Social Development.
International
Adopting internationally is a huge commitment in many ways. As you can imagine there are many factors that need to be considered when beginning your journey to international adoption.
The first thing you need to know is that there are a limited number of countries that we are able to place children in according to South Africa's commitment to the Hauge Convention. Before setting your heart on a South African adoption take the time to confirm what is possible.
International families are a great opportunity for our little ones, but are always considered AFTER the local options have been investigated. This means that the children that are available for international placement are usually over 12 months old.
If you are specifically interested in exploring an international adoption please visit www.impilo.org.za - At this stage Impilo is the primary agency who processes the international placements of our little ones.