Questions to ask...

[SixPeaches]

at information event.

My husband and myself have been talking about adoption and we will be attending an information event. What sort of questions should we ask? We don't really know what to expect when we are there.

He is registered blind and doesn't work and I work part time and am also his carer.

[Italiangreyhound]

SixPeaches hi, good luck at the event.

I think in some ways you will be absorbing a lot of info early in the event, perhaps at some sort of presentation. So you may find you formulate some questions during the event. You may find the question time comes at the end so take pen and paper or device to write your questions on as you think of them.

For example they may talk about the kinds of children they are placing for adoption and you may want to ask about ages, sibling groups etc and find out what kinds of situations children come from in the area.

I expect that early on you will want to explain your situation that your dh is registered blind and doesn't work and you work part time and also you are his carer. This may impact on your application and it would be helpful for you to know fairly early on whether this would be an issue for you as a couple. One thing they may ask if whether you can afford to support a child if you are only working part time. So you may wish to go along ready to answer that question. They may also ask, if you are your husbands carer part-time how it would work out with a child in the family too.

I am sure you have thought of this but I would look into how blind or partially sighted people parent generally and go prepared to talk about that if you are asked any questions. You may or may not be asked things about this and you will want to make the best use of your evening so go prepared. I am sure the charities for blind people will have helpful literature etc. I am not saying this will be the case but there are a lot of local authorities, county councils etc and voluntary agencies, you don't need to go with the one that is closest to you, and it would be good to find out which one will be most supportive of you. I just Googled 'blind people parenting' and there is massive of information, especially in from the USA. I don;t mean to go in and bombard them, I just mean go prepared.

Good luck, I hope nothing I have said has caused offence, not meant to!

[KristinaM]

I suggest you join adoption UK, which a parent support group and see if they can out you in touch with other adoptive parents who are blind /partially sighted . Even if they can't, they will have parents with other disabilities who will have useful information

I agree with all the previous post - but you don't have to do all this before the information meeting , as they won't really ask you much there ( it's not private ) . It's more about telling you stuff .

At the meeting there will probably be a powerpoint presentation and lots of handouts, so you will need to check out accessibility issues . If the agency haven't asked you about this or taken it into account, it's not a very good sign :-(

Also agree that you should check out ALL the adoption agencies that cover your area

Please understand that any agency is unlikely to have much experience of adopters with disability , you will have to be prepared to do all the research yourself . Which is pretty much like the rest of your adoption journey

Good luck