ADOPTION POLICY
If you require a copy of this leaflet
in large print, Braille or audio format,
please contact Human Resources
April 2007
(updated July 2008)
CONTENTS
Page
1. Who Is Covered
2
2. Leave And Pay Entitlements
2
3. Keep In Touch (KIT) Days
2
4. Responsibilities: Employees, Managers And HR
3
5. Steps By Step Notification Process
3
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Appendix 1: Adoption Leave Request Form
i
Appendix 2: Notification Of Change In Leave Start Date
ii
Appendix 3: Notification Of Early Return To Work
iii
1. WHO IS COVERED
This policy covers all employees adopting a child up to the age of 18, provided the child is
new to the family (ie excludes step family).
To qualify for adoption leave and pay entitlement, employees must have 26 weeks
continuous service by the end of the week in which s/he is notified that s/he has been
matched with a child. However some pay entitlements vary depending on length of service,
as detailed below.
In the case of an adopting couple, only one partner can take adoptive leave, whilst the other
will have to take paternity (maternity support) leave. Paternity (maternity support) leave is
also available to the partner of a single adoptive parent.
2. LEAVE AND PAY ENTITLEMENTS
The adoptive parent is entitled to 26 weeks Ordinary Adoption Leave (OAL - paid), and 26
weeks Additional Adoption Leave (AAL – of which 13 weeks are paid and 13 weeks unpaid).
As with maternity leave, payment during OAL is dependent on length of service and return to
work following leave, as detailed below:
WITH 26 WEEKS
CONTINUOUS SERVICE
(A)
 39 weeks at low SAP rate
(£117.18 as at 1 April 2008)
 13 weeks unpaid
WITH 52 WEEKS CONTINUOUS SERVICE
(B) If you do not
(C) If you return to work for a
return to work
minimum period of 3 months*
 6 weeks at 90% pay
 33 weeks at low SAP
rate (£117.18 as at
1 April 2008)
 13 weeks unpaid
6 weeks
at 90%
 6 weeks
at
 6 weeks
at90%
pay
90% pay
 12 wks at 50%
AND
pay
 20 wks at 3/10
pay (CAP) + O pay (CAP) +
low SAP rate R low SAP rate
 21 weeks at low  13 weeks at
low SAP rate
SAP rate
AND
+  1eks unpaid
 13 aid
weeks unpaid

1sunp
( )
* Employees who are entitled to Contractual Adoption Pay (CAP) must indicate their
commitment to return to work for a minimum period of 3 months in order to receive the
corresponding element of pay during OAL. Should they not wish to commit, CAP will be paid
to them as a lump sum, once they have been back at work for 3 months (proportionally
lengthened if working hours are reduced on return).
The adoptive parent is also entitled to request (unpaid) parental leave at the end of their
adoption leave (for more details, see RIO at http://rio/parental_leave).
3. KEEP IN TOUCH (KIT) DAYS
From April 2007, employees on adoption leave have the option to carry out some work or to
attend training courses for their employer, for up to 10 work days during their adoption leave,
without loss of adoption benefits. This means that they will be paid their normal salary during
the KIT days, and the adoption pay during the rest of the time.
KIT days are not an obligation for either the employee or their employer. Therefore, in
practice, these days must be agreed in advance by the employee and their manager, either
before adoption leave starts and/or during the course of that leave.
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A KIT Day Request Form (available on RIO at http://rio/kit_day_request_form.doc) must be
completed and signed by manager and employee for each day that is arranged. Every
month in which a KIT day is worked, a record of the corresponding hours must be sent to HR
Advice, using the KIT Day Payment Form (available on RIO at
http://rio/kit_day_payment_form.doc), for the necessary pay adjustments to be made.
4. RESPONSIBILITIES: EMPLOYEES, MANAGERS AND HR
Employees have a duty to do the following:

To inform their manager of their intention to take adoption leave within one week of
receipt of their adoption notification.

To inform their manager of the child’s placement date, within 4 weeks of it taking place.

To accept and respond to their managers’ reasonable attempts to keep in touch during
adoption leave.

To inform their manager of their intended return date, within the specified notice period.
Managers have a duty:

To keep in touch with their employee on a regular and reasonable basis, during the
course of their leave, so that s/he remains informed about the developments at work.

To agree and arrange with the employee any necessary and mutually agreeable KIT
day, during the course of their leave. Managers will also liaise with HR to ensure
appropriate salary payments are made on such days.

To exercise some degree of discretion in adoption cases, when dealing with individual
circumstances, due to the potential complications involved.
Human Resources have a duty:

To provide accurate information and advice to managers and employees on adoption
related issues.

In particular to confirm adoption leave and pay entitlement to employees within 4 weeks
of receiving a written notification of placement.
5. STEP BY STEP NOTIFICATION PROCESS
Step 1
Employee notifies manager and HR
Within 1 week of adoption
notification receipt
The employee completes the Adoption Leave Request Form (see Appendix 1) and
returns the original to Human Resources, with a copy to his/her manager. This
must include the following:
 Expected date of placement,
 Intended start date for adoption leave (this cannot be any earlier than 2 weeks
prior to the placement),
 Copy of the matching notification from the adoption agency,
 Statement of intention to return to work, for teachers, or other employees if they
meet the minimum criteria for AAL and CAP (see C, in above table). This is a
necessary requirement to enable payment of CAP during adoption leave.
NB: Failure to comply with this step could prejudice the employee’s entitlement to adoption
benefits. There may be circumstances where the employee can demonstrate that it was not
practicable to give that notification, and in such an event, managers should seek advice from
Human Resources.
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Step 2
HR and Payroll write to employee
Within 4 weeks of receipt
Human Resources also confirms to the employee in writing his/her leave and pay
entitlement, and her expected date of return (having checked details of the
request, recorded it and advised Payroll, who will also write to the employee to
confirm payment details).
Step 3
If employee wishes to change start date
Min 4 wks before leave start
If s/he wishes to change his/her adoption leave start date, the employee must
notify his/her manager and Human Resources in writing, using the form in
Appendix 2 (original to Human Resources, copy to the manager).
Up to 2 weeks before the child is placed with them, the adopter begins adoption leave.
Contact: It is good practice for the manager to maintain contact with their member of staff
during the adoption leave, to update him/her on work developments and to discuss return to
work plans. This will assist all parties once the adoption leave is over and the employee
returns to work. Managers should discuss with employees before hand how they wish this
contact to be maintained.
KIT days: These must be agreed in advance by the manager and the employee, and the
KIT Day Request Form (available on RIO at http://rio/kit_day_request_form.doc) must be
completed and signed for each agreed day. Every month in which a KIT day is worked, a
record of the corresponding hours must be sent to HR Advice using the KIT Day Payment
Form (available on RIO at http://rio/kit_day_payment_form.doc).
Step 4
Employee advises manager of early return
3 wks (AAL) or 1 wk (OAL)
before intended return
If s/he wishes to return to work earlier than the agreed date, the employee must
notify his/her manager in writing using form in Appendix 3 (original to Human
Resources, copy to the manager). Failure to give appropriate notice may result in
the return being delayed accordingly. Human Resources record the information in
their database and advise Payroll accordingly.
Step 5
Return to work interview
On return date
The manager carries out a return to work interview with the employee, as soon as
s/he is back.
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ADOPTION LEAVE REQUEST FORM
APPENDIX 1
EMPLOYEE DETAILS
Employee
Manager
Name
………………………………………
Name
…………………………………
Post
………………………………………
Location
…………………………………
Tel
…………………………………
Section/Dpt ………………………………………
………………………………………
Tel
ADOPTION DETAILS
The child’s placement date is
……./………/……. (dd / mm / yy)
I would like to start my adoption leave on
……./………/……. (dd / mm / yy)
Copy of Placement Notification enclosed
Yes / No
*(if No, please forward separately as soon as available)
 I hereby certify that I qualify for adoption leave as defined below:
“Adoption leave is available to all employees adopting a child up to the age of 18, provided that the child is
new to the family (ie excludes step family adoptions) and that the employee has 26 weeks continuous
service by the end of the week in which s/her is notified that s/he has been matched with a child.”
Signed
……………………………………
Dated ……………………………………
PAY DETAILS
“Contractual Adoption Pay (CAP) represents additional payments of 12 x 50% of average weekly earnings.
It is dependent on the employee returning to work for the Council for a minimum period of 3 months
following adoption leave.”
If eligible for Contractual Adoption Pay, please select one of the following options:
 I intend to return to work after my adoption leave, and I would like CAP to be paid monthly,
as half pay, over weeks 7-18 of my leave (total = 12 weeks at half pay)
 I intend to return to work after my adoption leave, and I would like CAP to be paid monthly,
as 3/10 pay, over weeks 7-26 of my leave (total = 20 weeks at 3/10 pay)
 I cannot commit at this stage, and I prefer for the payment to be made as a lump sum upon
my return to work.
Please sign to confirm this information is correct, and return to HR with your
Notification of Placement, at least 4 weeks before the leave’s requested start date.
FOR HUMAN RESOURCES USE ONLY
Form received:
……./………/……. (dd / mm / yy)
Details checked
 Details
Confirmation sent:  To employee
…./……/…. (dd / mm / yy)
 Length of service
…..years…..months
 To payroll
…./……/…. (dd / mm / yy)
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Updated by HR on 01/07/2008
NOTIFICATION OF CHANGE IN
LEAVE START DATE
APPENDIX 2
EMPLOYEE DETAILS
Employee
Manager
Name
………………………………………
Name
……………………………………
Post
………………………………………
Location
……………………………………
Tel
……………………………………
Section/Dpt ………………………………………
Tel
………………………………………
LEAVE START
(please tick as appropriate)
 my maternity leave
 my paternity (maternity support) leave
 my adoption leave
The revised start date for my leave will be:
……./………/……. (dd / mm / yy)
I wish to change the start date of:
Signed
……………………………………
Dated ……./………/…….. (dd / mm / yy)
Please sign to confirm this information is correct and return to HR
at least 4 weeks before the intended start of your leave.
FOR HUMAN RESOURCES USE ONLY
Form received:
……./………/……. (dd / mm / yy)
Confirmation sent:  To employee
…../……/…. (dd / mm / yy)
 To payroll
…../……/…. (dd / mm / yy)
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Updated by HR on 01/07/2008
NOTIFICATION OF EARLY RETURN
TO WORK
APPENDIX 3
EMPLOYEE DETAILS
Employee
Manager
Name
……………………………………
Name
……………………………………
Post
……………………………………
Location
……………………………………
Tel
……………………………………
Section/Dpt ……………………………………
Tel
………………………………………
Address
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
RETURN TO WORK
Please note:
You will be expected to return to work at the end of your full adoption leave entitlement, or at
the date specified by yourself prior to starting your leave, if earlier. This date was confirmed
to you in writing by Human Resources before you commenced adoption leave.
You only need to fill in this form if you want t return earlier than that date, as follows:
 For early returns from AML/AAL, please provide 21 days notice.
 For early returns from AML/OAL, please provide 7 days notice.
I plan to return to work before the end of my maternity/adoption leave
Signed
……………………………………
Dated
……./………/…….. (dd / mm / yy)
…../……/….. (dd/mm/yy)
Please sign to confirm this information is correct and return to
Human Resources at least 3 weeks before your intended return (for AML/AAL)
or at least 1 week before your intended return (for OML/OAL).
FOR HUMAN RESOURCES USE ONLY
Form received:
……./………/……. (dd / mm / yy)
Confirmation sent:  To employee
…../……/…. (dd / mm / yy)
 To payroll
…../……/…. (dd / mm / yy)
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Adoption Policy
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Updated by HR on 01/07/2008