Adoption is a way of providing a new permanent family for a child not able to be brought up in the birth family. The Local Authority acts as an Adoption Agency and is legally allowed to arrange adoptions. This is done via a social worker, who gains an understanding of the child's needs and seeks the adoptive family best able to meet them.
The Local Authority cannot make such an arrangement legally binding. Only the court can do this, by the making of an Adoption Order. This ends the child's legal relationships with the birth family and gives the child new legal parents. The child becomes a full member of the adoptive family, the same as being born to the adopters.
Adoption means the permanent transfer of parental responsibility. This is such an important thing to happen in a child's life, that the law requires Adoption Agencies and courts to make sure that they put the child's long-term welfare first when they make decisions about adoption.
If your child is adopted, you will no longer have any legal rights and responsibilities. It may not be possible for you to see each other but there will be the opportunity for you to have 'indirect contact' via the Local Authority in the form of news about your child from the adoptive family.
If you have any worries, doubts or questions, your child's social worker will try to help you as much as possible. You should also talk to your solicitor if you have one. You may find it helpful to talk things over with your family and friends too. In the past few years several independent organisations have been formed to offer advice and support to people in your position.
If your child is being adopted you have a right to an independent support worker.