Who We Are

Our Story

The Adoption Companion is a beautiful partnership between two women who have an enduring passion to see families and children in South Africa thrive and flourish.

Nompumelelo Mchunu

Nompumelelo Mchunu is a qualified social worker with 9 years experience on the Adoption Team at Child Welfare Durban and District. She left CWDD to head up Babyline, a counselling service aimed at preventing child and baby abandonment and supporting birth mothers in crisis. Her heart lies with birth mothers and empowering them to be able to keep, care for and parent their children well. Where this is not an option, Nompumelelo believes that adoption into a loving family is best for adoptable children. Her desire is to see children be adopted into families who have been properly prepared and educated for the adoption journey, and to offer her extensive experience in guiding, encouraging and supporting families and adopted children. Nompumelelo is the epitome of empathy, compassion and love. Herein lies her strength in working with families and children.

Ruth dos Santos

Ruth dos Santos has worked in the adoption space since 2010. She is gifted in the space of programme and operations management and has worked in a number of NGO’s in both KZN and Western Cape. She is a thought leader in the adoption space and has participated in the facilitation of many adoptions both locally and internationally. Her work is rooted in research and analysis of international trends in adoption and how to ensure that adoptive parents and children are supported and capacitated for a life of abundance, healing and joy. Ruth is plugged into a vast network of global thinkers and health and wellness practitioners who understand the intricacies of the adoption journey and the needs of the adopted child. She is passionate about South Africa becoming a leading light in adoption best practise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can adopt?

Anyone can apply adopt as long as you are over 18 and have been screened and approved as to adopt by an adoption social worker in terms of the requirements of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005.

How do I adopt?

In South Africa, unrelated adoption is done sight unseen. This means that you start your process by getting screened and approved to adopt and you leave the matching process to your social worker or adoption agency. Once you are screened and approved, the next step is for you to be considered, among other approved families, as a prospective adoptive family for a child who is adoptable Children's Act Section 230. If you are selected as the family that can best meet a child’s needs, you will be matched! Don’t jump the gun or try to find a child to adopt on your own. Make sure that you follow the process properly so that your adoption can be as stress-free and easy as possible.

If you are in a situation where you would like to adopt a child that you already know, or you know of a birth mother that is considering adoption for her child, contact an adoption social worker or an adoption agency immediately and avoid private negotiations.

Who Do I Approach to Help Me Adopt?

There are three avenues that you can choose from:

1) Child Protection Organisation Children's Act Section 250 with adoption accreditation (certain Child Welfares and other Adoption Agencies)

2) The Department of Social Development

3) Adoption Social Worker in Private Practice

Contact us to find out which Agencies and Social Workers are available in your area.

Can I adopt a baby from birth?

It is not adoption best practice to have a baby placed with you from birth purely because birth parents have a 60 day withdrawal period after they have signed consent. During the 60 days they can withdraw their consent at any time.

Should consent be withdrawn the baby will be returned to the birth parents if it is in the baby’s best interest. If the baby has already been placed with the prospective adoptive parents a withdrawal of consent leads to trauma for all parties involved.

Is infertility the only reason to adopt?

Traditionally adoption has been an alternate means of procreation for couples suffering from infertility, but times have changed and we now see couples and individuals adopting for many reasons.

Singles parents, LGBTQ+ individuals and couples, couples who choose not to procreate biologically but prefer to have a family through adoption only, and blended families who have biological children, also adopt.

Adoption is now part of PLAN A when it comes to family planning and no longer only an alternative when biological means have been exhausted. We encourage all families to consider adoption in their family planning and explore the option.

Is there an age limit for adopters?

Legally there is no age limit for adopters, however, the practicality of individuals coping with the demands of parenting babies and young children in advanced age needs to be considered. Some Agencies and social workers set an upper age “limit” of 45 – 50 years. On a case by case basis the merits of an older adopter need to be weighed up before an application is declined. Often times older adopters will be requested to adopt older children (2-6 years) so that the parent-child age gap is decreased.

The heart of The Adoption Companion is to champion, strengthen and journey with every person and family that we connect with.

Address

39 Inanda Road, Hillcrest,
Albany, 3610

Contact

hello@adoptioncompanion.org
(076) 513-1078 | (079) 276-1077