What you need to know
All qualifying Service personnel, regardless of their length of service, are entitled to take up to 52 weeks of adoption leave.
It is important that you have read and understood JSP 760 - Tri-Service Regulations for Leave and Other Types of Absences (chapter 25) before proceeding.
Service personnel may also be eligible for 39 weeks of statutory pay, the first 26 weeks of which may be enhanced to the Service person’s full pay rate (occupational pay).
The provisions of the adoption leave scheme apply only to:
- adoption placements arranged through legally recognised adoption agencies
- fostering for adoption, where dual approved prospective adopters have a child placed with them under section 22C(9B(c)) of the Children Act 1989 with a view to them adopting that child
- Parental Order parents, where the intended parents in a surrogacy arrangement are eligible for and intend to apply for or have obtained a Parental Order making them the legal parents of the child they are having with the help of a surrogate mother
You are not eligible for Adoption Leave if you:
- arrange a private adoption, e.g. without permission from a UK authority or adoption agency
- become a special guardian or kinship carer
- adopt a stepchild
- adopt a family member
Only one parent of a couple is eligible for Adoption Leave/Adoption Pay (known as the Primary Adopter). The other parent may be eligible for Paternity Leave and Pay or Shared Parental Leave.
You won't be able to claim this benefit if you claim paternity leave.
What you need to do
To submit an adoption leave request, you will need to:
- complete the JPA R008 form
- obtain matching certificate from the adoption agency
- submit documentation to Unit HR Admin
The Unit HR Admin will forward the form to your Commanding Officer for countersigning and will then send the countersigned form and matching certificate to Defence Business Services to action.
They will also send you a copy of the countersigned form.
