Private adoption, an arrangement between private individuals without the involvement of an adoption agency, is prohibited in the UK and can constitute a criminal offence. However, there are a few exceptions to allow for adoption by a child's parent (and/or their partner), guardian or relative. Some people refer to this as a “kinship adoption”. The process for completing a kinship adoption can be just as complex so take legal advice before embarking upon it to avoid inadvertently breaking the law.