Adoption creates a permanent legal relationship between you and your child. Rooney Family Law is a specialist family law firm — family law is not one of the things we do; it is the only thing we do — and we handle adoption cases across central Scotland, including step-parent adoption for a genuine all-inclusive fixed fee of £3,050.
If you are considering adoption, we offer a free initial telephone call of approximately 10–15 minutes so you can explain your situation and understand your options before committing to anything. Call 0800 779 7848 or send us a message.
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Why Instruct a Specialist Firm for Your Adoption
Adoption is one of the most significant orders a Scottish court can make — it changes a child’s legal family permanently. It also frequently sits alongside wider family law questions: the position of the other birth parent, existing residence and contact arrangements, and parental rights and responsibilities. A solicitor who works in family law every day sees the whole picture and prepares your application so that the court has everything it needs first time.
Family Law Only
Every solicitor in the firm practises family law exclusively — no conveyancing, no wills, no crime
Accredited Specialists
Law Society of Scotland accredited Specialists in Family and Child Law
£3,050 All-In
Step-parent adoption fixed fee covering our fees, court fees and outlays for straightforward cases
What an Adoption Order Does
Adoption in Scotland is governed by the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007. An adoption order transfers parental rights and responsibilities to the adopters permanently: in law, the child becomes the child of the adoptive family, for life. Because the order is permanent, the court’s paramount consideration is the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child throughout the child’s life — a longer horizon than in any other kind of family case.
Step-Parent Adoption — £3,050 All-Inclusive
The most common adoption we handle is a step-parent adopting their spouse’s or partner’s child, so that the law reflects the family life the child already has. For straightforward step-parent adoptions we offer a genuine all-inclusive fixed fee of £3,050, covering our fees, court fees, and outlays — no hidden extras and no surprise invoices.
The position of the child’s other birth parent matters in every step-parent adoption. Where that parent consents, the process is usually straightforward. Where consent is not forthcoming, the court has power in defined circumstances to dispense with it — and we will advise you honestly at the outset on how that affects your case, your timescale, and your costs.
Other Adoptions We Advise On
We also advise relatives adopting within the family — grandparents, aunts and uncles — and adopters of children placed through an adoption agency, where the court process follows the agency’s assessment and matching. Whatever the route, the court stage is where we come in: preparing the application properly, anticipating the questions the court will ask, and representing you through to the order.
Who can adopt
Adoption in Scotland is open to single applicants and to couples, whether married, in a civil partnership, or living together in an enduring family relationship. An adopter must generally be at least 21 years of age, and there are residence and domicile requirements that connect the application to Scotland. The court is concerned with substance rather than form: recent Court of Session authority has confirmed that a couple who had separated, but who continued to operate as a single family unit across two households in the care of the child, could still qualify as a couple for adoption purposes. What matters is a demonstrated, enduring commitment to family life with the child.
The child’s position
The child is at the centre of the process, and Scots law gives children a distinctive voice in it. The court must have regard to the child’s views in light of their age and maturity, and a child aged twelve or over must generally consent to their own adoption before an order can be made. The court also appoints independent figures, including a curator ad litem, to safeguard the child’s interests and report on whether adoption would serve the child’s welfare.
Consent of the birth parents
An adoption order ordinarily requires the consent of each parent or guardian who holds parental responsibilities and rights. Where consent is withheld, the court can dispense with it, but only on the grounds set out in the 2007 Act, for example where a parent cannot be found, or where the parent is unable satisfactorily to discharge their parental responsibilities and is likely to continue to be unable to do so, or where the welfare of the child otherwise requires it. Dispensing with consent is a serious step and the court examines such cases with great care.
Routes to adoption
Children come to adoption by different routes. Some are placed with approved adopters by an adoption agency, usually the local authority, often following a permanence process for a child who cannot be brought up by their birth family. Others are adopted by people they already live with, most commonly a step-parent. The court procedure differs in detail between these routes. In many cases, including step-parent and relative adoptions, the child must be at least 19 weeks old and must have had their home with the applicants for the 13 weeks immediately before the order is made. Adoption petitions are generally presented to the sheriff court for the area, although they may in some cases be brought in the Court of Session.
How the Court Process Works
1. Advice and preparation. We confirm you meet the requirements, gather the documents the court needs, and prepare the petition.
2. Application to the sheriff court. The petition is lodged at the sheriff court for the area where you live.
3. The court’s own checks. The court appoints an independent reporting officer and curator ad litem to safeguard the child’s interests, deal with consents, and report back to the sheriff.
4. Hearing and order. Once the reports are in and the sheriff is satisfied, the adoption order is granted. Straightforward cases are often dealt with in a matter of months, though timescales depend on the court and the reports.
Our Fees
Straightforward step-parent adoptions are covered by the £3,050 all-inclusive fixed fee. Where a case is not straightforward — for example, where consent is disputed — work is charged at our standard hourly rates in 3-minute billing units rather than the 6-minute units many firms use, with a clear costs estimate at the outset and updates as your case progresses. Full details are on our fees page, and every new enquiry starts with a free initial telephone call of approximately 10–15 minutes.
Adoption in Scotland: Frequently Asked Questions
How much does step-parent adoption cost?
For straightforward cases we offer an all-inclusive fixed fee of £3,050, covering our fees, court fees, and outlays. If your case is not straightforward, we will tell you at the outset and give you a clear costs estimate before any work begins.
Who can adopt in Scotland?
Adopters must be at least 21. Under the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007, adoption is open to single people and to couples — married, in a civil partnership, or living together in an enduring family relationship — including same-sex couples.
Does the other birth parent have to consent?
The other birth parent’s position matters in every step-parent adoption. Where they consent, the process is usually straightforward. Where consent is not forthcoming, the court has power in defined circumstances to dispense with it, and we will advise you honestly on how that affects your case.
How long does adoption take?
Straightforward cases are often dealt with in a matter of months, though timescales depend on the court and the reports the court requires. We will give you a realistic indication for your own case at the outset.
What is the effect of an adoption order?
An adoption order transfers parental rights and responsibilities to the adopters permanently. In law, the child becomes the child of the adoptive family, for life.
Do you offer Legal Aid?
No. Rooney Family Law does not offer Legal Aid. If you think you may qualify, you can check your eligibility with the Scottish Legal Aid Board.
What Our Clients Say
The decision to instruct Rooney family law was one of the best decisions I have made.
Excellent guidance, advice, professionalism and reassurance throughout.
It has been important to be able put my trust in someone at such an important and difficult time in my life.
Everyone has been supportive and helpful throughout.
I would not hesitate to recommend your services.
Thanks to Brian Rooney and all the wonderful staff in Uddingston.
Thank you once again
I hope I never have to use a family lawyer again, but if I did I wouldn’t hesitate to use Rooney Family Law and can’t recommend them highly enough.
Wonderful!! Thank you Rooney Family.
Legal review: Brian Rooney, Managing Partner and Law Society of Scotland Accredited Specialist in Family Law. Last reviewed: July 2026.
