Adoption is a special form of protection for a child without adequate parental care, which creates a permanent relationship between the adoptee and the adopter, similar to the relationship between a parent and a child. The procedure is carried out by the competent office of the Croatian Institute for Social Work according to the child's place of residence. In order for it to be established at all, certain assumptions must be met both on the side of the child and on the side of potential adopters. During the procedure, the welfare of the child must be taken into account, that is, adoption can only be based if it is in the best interest of the child. The procedure is carried out in two stages, the first is the assessment of the suitability and appropriateness of potential adopters, followed by the actual adoption procedure. The parties to the proceedings are the child and the most suitable potential adopter. Also, in order for adoption to be possible, the consent of certain persons is required, and in some cases it can be replaced by a court decision. If the adoptive parents meet all the prerequisites, they must go through the process of professional preparation. Adoption is based on the validity of the decision on adoption, when the appeal deadline expires. Adoption produces legal effects, prescribed by law. It is important to emphasize that during the entire adoption process, the public is excluded, and information about the adoption is an official secret. Only persons expressly listed in the Family Law Act have the right to access data on adoption.