# Can I get time off work if a child I'm fostering is being placed with me for adoption?

- Jurisdiction: United Kingdom
- Practice area: Employment Law
- Published: 2026-10-26
- Last updated: 2026-10-26
- Canonical: https://lawasked.com/uk/employment-law/can-i-get-time-off-work-if-child

## Question

I am currently living in England and have been working as a full-time administrator for a local firm for about four years. For the last eighteen months, I have been a registered local authority foster parent. Recently, my situation changed because I have also been officially approved as a prospective adopter. On the 12th of last month, the local authority notified me that a child they have been looking after is expected to be placed with me under the specific arrangements for foster parents moving towards adoption. This is a huge step for my family, but I am worried about my job. I have already spoken to my manager informally about needing some flexibility, but they were quite vague about whether I could actually take a formal leave of absence to settle the child in. I am unsure if the legal protections that usually allow people to take time off for adoption or placement also apply to me in this specific scenario, given that I am already a foster parent and the child is being placed with me through the local authority rather than a private agency. Do I have a right to protected time off work for this placement?

## Summary

Yes, you have legal protections. Because you are a local authority foster parent who has been approved as a prospective adopter, the law treats your situation similarly to standard adoption leave for attending appointments.

## Analysis

Under the Employment Rights Act 1996, you are entitled to specific protections because of your unique role. Normally, adoption rights apply to people working with adoption agencies. However, because you are a local authority foster parent in England who has been approved as a prospective adopter, the law extends these protections to you [1]. 

Specifically, the law states that "references to adoption or placement for adoption were references to placement of a child under section 22C of the Children Act 1989 with a local authority foster parent who has been approved as a prospective adopter" [1]. This means that the legal rights usually reserved for people adopting through an agency are applied to your specific arrangement with the local authority. 

This protection includes the right to take time off for appointments. For example, you may have a right to "take time off during the employee's working hours in order that he or she may attend by appointment at any place for the purpose of having contact with the child or for any other purpose connected with the adoption" [2]. This is known as 'paid time off' for appointments. There is also a right to 'unpaid time off' for certain appointments. 

It is important to note that these specific sections (57ZJ, 57ZL, 57ZN, and 57ZP) cover time off to attend appointments. They do not explicitly grant a right to a long-term 'leave of absence' to settle the child in. While you have a right to attend appointments, your employer's obligation regarding a longer period of leave to settle the child may depend on your specific employment contract or other parts of the law not provided here. Additionally, you cannot use these specific appointment rights for any appointments occurring on or after the actual date the child is placed with you [2].

## Statutory citations

- Employment Rights Act 1996, Section 57ZS - Placement of looked after children with prospective adopters [in force] (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/18/section/57ZS)
  > Where this subsection applies, sections 57ZJ, 57ZL, 57ZN and 57ZP have effect as if— a references to adoption or placement for adoption were references to placement of a child under section 22C of the Children Act 1989 with a local authority foster parent who has been approved as a prospective adopter
- Employment Rights Act 1996, Section 57ZJ - Right to paid time off to attend adoption appointments [in force] (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/18/section/57ZJ)
  > is entitled to be permitted by his or her employer to take time off during the employee's working hours in order that he or she may attend by appointment at any place for the purpose of having contact with the child or for any other purpose connected with the adoption

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