# Adoption and foster care
Sometimes a child’s biological parents are not in a position to look after the child. Children in this situation can be cared for by other families on a permanent or temporary basis. How does adoption work and who can provide advice if you would like to foster a child?
To ServicesIf you need proof of birth to be presented to foreign bodies, you can apply for a multilingual birth certificate.
You do not have your birth certificate, but you need it, for example, for a marriage or for another official act? Then you can apply for the issuance of a birth certificate.
You can prove sole custody of your child with proof of custody. To do this, simply contact the responsible youth welfare office.
You do not have your birth certificate, but you need it, for example, for a marriage or for another official act? Then you can request a printout from the birth register.
If you need proof of your time of birth, you can apply for a corresponding certificate. These can be obtained from the registry office that certified the birth or from each registry office affiliated to the respective nationwide central register.
If you or your child was born abroad, notarization in the German birth register may be useful.
- Wenn Sie eine Erklärung abgeben möchten, durch welche die Vaterschaft zu einem Kind anerkannt wird, sowie eine Zustimmungserklärung der Mutter, so kann dieses von Standesbeamt*innen in jedem Standesamt, bei Jugendämtern und vor Notaren öffentlich beurkundet werden.