[user104658]

That's for adoption by strangers, by the way... if the adoption is going to be by an adult that's already been in the child's life for a long time (e.g. a grandparent, aunt/uncle) and they're offering a more stable home than the father can, or if the child knows them well but the father is "estranged", then the courts might well grant custody to the "known" family member in the best interests of the child. The father would still have access rights, though, and could potentially apply for custody in future if there's good reason.