Man fails in bid to secure adoption

A man who wants to be adopted by his stepfather has had his hopes quashed by a “not interested” government.

Nathan Sparling, 27, is campaigning to reform family law to allow parents to adopt adults – a move currently prohibited under Scots law.

He believes his stepfather, Brian Sparling, 44, who has been involved in his upbringing since he was 13, should be allowed to become his adoptive father. Nathan – who did not know his biological father and has changed his surname to that of his stepfather – says he will “never call another man dad”.

The Scottish Government had said it would review adoption procedures, but now say that it has no plans to extend the age of adoption of a child beyond the age of 18.

Nathan, from Dunfermline, said that the response from the government was “disappointing”.

Nathan – the head of policy and campaigning at HIV Scotland – said he did not have his father’s name on his birth certificate and wants Brian to be seen as his parent in the eyes of the law. He said: “I think the government could have had a more ‘listening ear’ approach to this. We need them to want to change the law.”