Find out about changes to our services and Christmas opening times on our Festive information page. To find out when your bin will be collected over the festive period, visit Changes to County Durham bin collections at Christmas.

Due to maintenance, the following systems will be unavailable from 11.45am on Tuesday 24 December until 8.00am on Thursday 2 January: our online Council Tax, business rates and housing benefit services, and our welfare assistance form. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Resources to support adoptive parents

If you're adopting (or have adopted) a child, this page contains additional useful information.

Adoption Statement of Purpose

The Adoption Statement of Purpose sets out our aims, values, principles and objectives. It describes how we'll meet these, working with carers, children, young people, their families and other partner agencies. It also explains our facilities and services, which we provide in line with adoption legislation and regulatory frameworks. It is available on the Adopt Coast to Coast: about us web page.

Our policies

Read our Policies of the Adoption Service (PDF, 167 KB) to find out more about:

adoption timescales
how we work with:
- children and young people
- birth families
- adoptive applicants and adopters
adoption support
the adoption panel
access to adoption records
step-parent adoptions
applications for approval as inter-country adopters.

Customer Care Standards

We are committed to the First 4 Adoption Customer Care Standards. First 4 Adoption is a national information service for people interested in adopting a child.

Contact Adoption

Email adoption@durham.gov.uk
Telephone 03000 269 291