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Making a Referral

The online service is run in collaboration with the social enterprise ‘Link Maker’, making use of the highly secure system that they have developed for sharing information.

Regulations

The Scottish Government introduced new regulations in April 2016 as part of its commitment to improving practice and reducing unnecessary delay for children requiring permanent placements. The Regulations changed the Register from a voluntary to a mandatory service – adoption agencies (local authorities and voluntary organisations) are now required to:

  • refer all children to Scotland’s Adoption Register a maximum of 3 months after the agency has made the decision that adoption is in the best interests of a child; or that an application for a permanence order granting authority for a child to be adopted should be made under section 80 of the Act.
  • refer adopters a maximum of 3 months after their approval by the adoption panel.

    • http://www.legislation.gov.uk/sdsi/2016/9780111030882/regulation/4

    Social Workers For adopters or those responsible for family finding for children will first need to register by clicking the link below:

    It is of critical importance that the security of the system is maintained – you will be asked to create a safe password and provided with a PIN to gain access to the site. Confirmation of your identity will also be sought from your agency.

    Once registered, social workers for adopters will need to connect to their families’ profiles in order to support them in the family finding process.
    Social workers responsible for family finding can create profiles of the children they are seeking a placement for and directly initiate discussions with adopters.

    For more information on how to get started with the online register please watch this short video which will guide you through registration, creating profile, and family finding.

    We have also created a written how to guide to help you get started.

    What are the benefits to the online register as a family finding worker?

  • Access to the widest range of families. The details contained in the profiles will guide family-finders to families approved across Scotland who may best meet a child’s needs.
  • Ability to directly show interest in families. Available families can be filtered and ordered according to a range of geographical and other criteria, and approaches made to invite discussions.
  • Opportunity to involve & support families. Families and Social workers work together in identifying children that families would like to be matched with.
  • Confidence that data protection obligations are satisfied. All documents and messages are shared securely between agencies and families. Information is encrypted using the password of the intended recipient, and made available to them for only as long as it is needed. All data is managed by an ISO 27001 accredited organisation and is hosted in the UK.
  • Up-to-date information. All users can update their profiles and cases directly, in real time. Staff at Scotland’s Adoption Register and Link Maker monitor all activity and intervene directly with users by email and telephone whenever an update, or a user response, may be overdue.
  • Opportunity to manage cases flexibly. All users accounts are specific to individuals, so that cases can be shared between managers and social workers according to prevailing practice and policy in the organisation.
  • Provision of child-level reports. Instant reports can be run providing information on available families and family-finding activity conducted on behalf of a child.
  • Effective oversight. A range of user-level permissions can be applied, granting identified staff the ability to view activity against all cases and to run detailed activity reports.

    • Guide to the Online Register

    Here is a quick video guide to using the online register.
    swipe horizontally or click and drag to view more
    Online Register GuideOne Activity Day, Three perspectives: A Sibling Groups Adoption JourneyStaying Connected Toolkit Quarterly Report What is Adoption? Adoption UKCATCH (Children And Trauma Community Hub)AFKABarnardo's SASSBirthlinkChildren & Young People's Commissioner ScotlandNational Records of ScotlandScottish Child Law CentreStand Up for SiblingsUnicefProgress Pride FlagNew Family Social#KeepThePromiseFAQsNational Siblings Day : Talking With Adopters
    A short video Guide on how to use the online registerThis blog contains the perspective of the agency who supported the children throughout their journey, the worker of the adoptive family and the adoptive parents themselves.AFKA have produced a free online toolkit to support practitioners and managers through the transition period for children and young people in care Statistics for Q1 of 2026-2027 are now available SAR Manager Kate Richardson and Director of AFKA Scotland, Angie Gillies, Presentation on Adoption from Adoption Week Scotland 2024Information and support about adoption throughout the UK CATCH is an online community of information and support for adopters, special guardians, foster carers and the professionals who work with them.Support for practitioners and organisations working in Fostering, Adoption and Kinship Comprehensive range of post-adoption support to 14 local authorities across Scotland Support for adults affected by adoptionInformation on children's and young people's Human Rights. Scotland's Adoption Register does not contain historical adoption information or birth certificates. If this is what you are looking for please go to National Records Scotland Free Expert legal advise on Children's Rights and Child Law across Scotland Information on Scotland's National partnership which aims to improve and change policy and practice in relation to siblings in care. Information about the Convention of Children's Rights SAR supports all LGBTQ+ people in their adoption journeyUK charity, led by LGBTQ+ adopters and foster carers. New Family Social exists to help you decide if adoption or fostering is right for you and then support you on your journey to becoming parents and carers.Find out about #KeepThePromise Scotland Adoption and the LawWe sat down with adopters Deborah and Jane who discussed why they wanted to adopt siblings and why their daughters bond together is so special.
    Read HereQ1 Statisitcs for 2026-2027https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOJ1-0ZxA8Y