I don't live in the UK - can I adopt a British child?

The short answer is no.

In order to adopt a British child, you must have had legal residency in the UK for at least a year.
This rule even applies to British citizens who may be working abroad for a few years before planning to return to the UK to settle permanently.
It also applies to residents of the Republic of Ireland despite the fact that in the British care system there are children with an Irish background who are desperate for adoptive families with a similar heritage.

The only exception to this rule is if a person is applying to adopt a relative or has a close connection with the child - for example the adopter is a close friend of birth family or a step-parent.

It is worth noting that as the law stands, once parents have officially adopted a child in this country, there is usually nothing that can legally prevent them from moving to live in another country.
However, for a child that may already have had a lot of upheaval in their short life, and who may be in contact with birth parents or siblings, parents should seriously consider what impact this move could have on the child before arranging it.

For ex-pats, the best hope of adopting is to do so in your country of residency - but be sure to find out what restrictions there may be in acquiring British citizenship for children you adopt in a foreign country because otherwise you may find it difficult to return to the UK.