Petition · past parliament · Ministry of Justice
Allow people over the age Eighteen to be lawfully adopted
Closed
239 signatures
What the petition asks
The Government should give adults the right to be lawfully adopted by the people they regard as their parents. Adoption shouldn’t be reserved for children in their adolescent years. Parenthood extends after the age of eighteen and this should be recognised in adoption law.
Only children under 18 can be legally adopted and, unfortunately, many do not realise until it is too late. For most, it is not about financial or legal benefits, it is about the formalising emotional connection and legally recognising that parent & child, although not related by blood, are family.
Timeline
| 10 Jun 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 10 Dec 2021 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
239
Status
Closed
Department
Ministry of Justice
Opened
10 Jun 2021
Closed
10 Dec 2021
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.