# Applying to adopt - should I start with local council?



## BB41 (Nov 16, 2016)

Do you have to start with your local council when applying to become an adopter or can you go through an agency like First 4 Adoption? Is there any advantage to either? 
Thank you


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## loudlikelove (Jun 23, 2016)

It's down to preference. I'd go to events with both as that will help inform your decision.


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## Macgyver (Oct 27, 2008)

The best thing to do is contact a few and see how you feel about them, we applied la with our first and we are again this time but we did call a few la and va just to see how they work and the feeling I got from them. Xx


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## MargotW (Jan 26, 2016)

For some it depends on how small your area is, I know people who have applied to neighbouring LAs to help to avoid running into birth parents.


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## BB41 (Nov 16, 2016)

Thanks for your replies. We are wanting to do Fostering for Adoption and I don't think my LA does it. I wasn't sure if I could apply to a VA before being assessed by own LA but seems like it's fine to do the whole process through a VA.


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## MissMayhem (Feb 24, 2013)

This question raised some interesting responses as I'd not realised you could do different local authorities, thought you could either do your own or use private agency so thanks for posting BB41 and good luck with everything.


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